Photo: Andreas Maier / Pexels
Kuwaiti Tourists Report Roadside Cash Demands from Officers in Pattaya
A group of Kuwaiti tourists held a press conference in Pattaya on July 14, 2026, to report being stopped repeatedly by traffic officers over the past month and pressured to pay cash fines on the spot, in amounts far above standard rates and with no official documentation. The tourists brought secretly recorded video and receipt copies as evidence, raising serious questions about the legitimacy of these roadside collections.
What the Tourists Reported
The tourists, mostly in their 20s and 30s, said they were stopped between two and five times in a single night. Each stop resulted in demands for 3,500 to 5,000 baht, paid in cash at the roadside. Officers refused all requests to settle the matter at a police station and would not accept bank transfers.
In several cases, it was not a uniformed officer who collected the money, but an unidentified civilian, while officers stood nearby. Tourists who asked for a receipt were charged an extra 500 baht for one.
Why the Receipts Are a Problem
The receipts the tourists received were not official police documents. They resembled generic small-business cash receipt books, and other officers who later reviewed them confirmed they were not legitimate. Paying a traffic fine and receiving this kind of receipt does not constitute a valid payment under Thai law.
What to Watch Out For
Based on what these tourists described, there are several clear warning signs if you are stopped by traffic officers in Thailand:
- Being taken to a secluded location away from the roadside is irregular
- Any demand for cash only, with bank transfer refused, is a red flag
- Legitimate fines are paid at a police station, not on the street
- A receipt from a generic cash book is not an official document
- Being charged extra to receive any receipt at all is not a legitimate procedure
The tourists said that after these experiences, they felt more afraid of police than of ordinary criminals, which points to how seriously this kind of encounter can affect visitors' sense of safety.
Information sourced from The Thaiger.