When I saw the above headline “64 illegal street racers arrested” I figured it was a bunch of Thai Chav’s bombing round the local estate in their Nova’s, Corsa’s or Citroen CX. Full 12” wide tyres, amazing body kits, fluorescent undercarriage and unfeasibly large exhausts. Or could it be a bunch of Yuppies driving round in their GT cars, Thrashing their Porsche’s and Ferrari’s, just like in Gran Tourismo.
Alas the truth was no where near as exciting as this, it turns out that couple of local Moped gangs had got it into their heads to race up and down a road called Ratchadaphesik, unfortunately they did not know that the “Boys in Brown” (Police) were a bit short of funds and had set up a road block to extract a few fines (Bribes). So down the road they came, the law must have thought it was Christmas and Birthday’s rolled into one, all of this “Tea Money”, sorry fines to collect.
You must bear in mind that for the average Thai youth earns not much more than 5000bht per month (£75), a moped is the same sort of investment as a Audi TT is in the UK, they look after them, and new bits, and amazingly add these large exhaust’s to them! What is it with exhausts and young men? Anyway, unlike the UK, In Thailand you aren’t given a tap on the wrist and sent on your way. Oh no! These guys were made to sit on their moped’s at the side of the road with no shirts, no water and had to endure public humiliation for the rest of the day, then their parents had to come and collect them. The worse part is the (bribe) fine, probably about 1000bht and another 2000bht to get their bikes back, three weeks wages for doing a bit of racing, one thing, they won’t do it again.
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