Bangkok

For 2000 Baht I had my scooter posted from Phuket to a little post office just west of Siam square in the center of Bangkok. It arrives as scheduled a week later, as i arrived from Laos, coated in bubble wrap, but minus any petrol.

I was staying down on Sukumnvit 64 so it was a 20 minute ride back to the hotel. Within 10 minutes I was being pulled over by the traffic cop for riding past the entrance to the highway just past Ploen Chit after missing the diversion around it. I tried to ride past him but his beady little eyes saw tea money (bribes) and stepped in front of the bike and physically stopped me.

BIB “1000 Baht fine. no drive here. come to office”

I followed him, and my drivers license, into his little office

BIB “OK, 1000 Baht fine. pay now”

me “do i get a receipt?”

BIB “no. OK, you pay 700 Baht”

me “how about 200 Baht?”

BIB “300 Baht, OK?”

me “OK, it has been a pleasure sir”

I spent the next few days riding around Bangkok which is actually a whole lot of fun once you get the hang of it. Go with the flow, don’t try and race taxi-bikes, and avoid highways and the police. Compared to Phuket and the wankers riding around there, Bangkok seems like a very civilized place.