Sunday, April 13, 2008

Driving Trip to Southern Thailand Part 2

We reached Sadao Thailand immigration. Here some tips to share, all passenger and driver are required to alight from any vehicle. Drivers, do drop your passenger first, then turn left immediately after the immigration post for a parking area.


There is no sign or anyone to tell you to do that. We as a passenger alighted and follow the crowd. My brother, who is the driver, did not do this. He was distracted and so concentrated on passing the permit to the police there that he drove to the right and then parked his car there. This is considered ILLEGAL parking eventhough there are others Thai registered car there. Our car been booked. The Thai police unfortunely do not speak English.


My brother was summoned to a small room which marked Police outside. I went with him, knowling that his body language showed that he felt agitated over all this matter.


"IC, IC" ... the Thai Police asked my brother. My brother passed to him his driving licence. He took from him and thrown it on the table infront of him. He didnt even look at the driving licence and then started to look at us and said something in Thai.


"Sorry, We dont speak Thai" I said.


He felt frustated and pull a stack of paper from the drawer. Pick up the driving licence which he threw earlier and started to fill the paper.


"You name, you name", shouting at my brother.


"Oh! this is his name", kepo me pointing at his name in his driving Licence. All this while only the Thai police, my brother and I inside this small room. Later a guy holding a helmet, came in. By the time, the Thai policeman had completed filling up the form and passed it to my brother and asked him to sign. He readily wanted to sign them until I stopped him. I wanted to be sure, what the details on the form. All words are in Thai. How can he just sign on it. The Thai police never explain anything but just asked him to sign. This cannot be, my mind was full with "what if". When I asked him, he keep yelling "Sign, sign". Beside being angry, both of us looked at each other and controlling our laughter over the matter. Sighting uneasiness in us, he then threw my brother driving licence in the drawer and locked it up. My brother holding the summon paper, looked up at me with a confused faced. I took the form from him and approached the helmet guy. "Sorry, do you speak English or Malay", I asked. I were merely trying my luck on the Malay part cause you never know. Thai people do looked like Malay, especially those from the Southern part. He said yes, a little bit of Malay but not English. Thank God! He asked the Thai police on what was written on the form and relayed to us the information. Its actually a summoned paper for us to make payment at Sadao Police Station. We wanted to settle there, but the police just refused us.

Sadao police station is about 15 km away. We stopped a few times to ask others. Hmm, very the frustating. Most of them do not speak English. We stopped at one little shop and I spoke Malay. Alas, they speak Malay with Kelantanese accent too. Settle, its on the right of the road, so we were on the lookout for the Police Station.

Another hilarious experienced we had when we were at the Police Station. We went in and all eyes inside the station, zoomed at us. I approached a booth and pass the police in charge the summon. He told us to go Danok. This is the place where the summon was issue. Its under Sadao territory but Danok is the village or town in Sadao area. Hhhmm, this is crazy. How can he asked us to pay at Danok while the guy in Danok asked us to pay in Sadao. If not for my brother driving Licence being retained by the earlier guy, I would just ignore the summon until we leave Thailand.

Communication can be a great barrier here. Luckily, Thai are a soft spoken people apart from the police guy at Danok, if not, I wouldn't have the patience to handle these people. I went out of the police station and tried to approached some muslim that I saw while driving in the police station. A young couple were approaching the entrance at that time. I asked if they could understand Malay. Yes! came the answer. Its was such a relieve feeling. I explained to them and the couple were so kind hearted and patiencely explained to the police there. We were then told to wait for the officer in charge. About 5 minutes later, an officer came and we were called to the booth. The fine was for 3 offence, mind you 3 offence for illegal parking, blocking other ways and failed to park properly. Anyway, one offence was charged at 200 baht that is apprxm S$8.90. But we were given discount of 500 baht for the 3 offence. If only Singapore have such things as discount for traffic offence. My brother looked lost on hearing 500. I assured him that its not a big amount. Its only S$23.00. Ha! he laughed when told him.

We headed back to the car and laughing over all this hilarious experienced. Its really a lesson to be remembered. So if you ever want to drive in to Thailand via the Sadao immigration, please remember the tips above. Oh ya btw, another things, do not forget to slip in your passport a RM1 note for that immigration guys to avoid delay.


We drove back to Danok, took the driving licence and drove back to Hatyai. Its really an experience to have a brush with the law in Thailand. Nevertheless its a good experience to learn.

Will update on the Hatyai part next .. so look out for it. Till then.