Bangkok traffic police arrested a man for fake red license plates G-9999.

Bangkok traffic police arrested a 31-year-old man after a pickup truck equipped with fake red license plates bearing the combination G-9999 was stopped at a checkpoint. Red plates in Thailand are issued temporarily for new vehicles until permanent registration plates are obtained, and their forgery is a serious violation of the law. According to the Bangkok Post, the incident occurred in Bangkok when a patrol noticed a vehicle with clearly non-standard plates. An inspection revealed that the plates were not listed in the database of the Department of Land Transport. The suspect claimed that his younger brother, seeing him driving a new car, decided to "help" and ordered the plates online without informing him of the illegality of such actions. The detainee explained that he had no intention of breaking the law and believed that using such plates was permissible until official documents were obtained. However, under Thai law, forging or using fake license plates carries a penalty of up to one year in prison and/or a fine of up to 2,000 baht. Police are also checking the vehicle's origin for possible involvement in other crimes. This case is not isolated: Thai police have previously warned about fraudulent schemes related to the sale of "beautiful" plates. As noted in a Thansettakij article, scammers offer foreigners and locals "guaranteed acquisition" of desired combinations for an additional fee, although such plates are officially distributed through auctions by the Department of Land Transport. Concurrently with this case, Bangkok police continue to combat other types of fraud. Recently, a new database on human trafficking and scam call centers was launched, and raids were conducted to rescue victims of scammers. In a separate incident, Huai Khwang police were instructed to remove a dragon from the station's logo following citizen complaints. Experts remind that any offers of "expedited" acquisition of plates or documents through intermediaries who are not official dealers are highly likely to be fraudulent. The only legal way to obtain a "beautiful" plate is to participate in open auctions held by the Department of Land Transport of Thailand. Currently, the suspect has been released on bail, and the investigation is ongoing. Police are determining who exactly made the fake plates and whether this case is linked to organized groups. For readers: Do not buy "beautiful" plates or red plates from private individuals. They can only be legally obtained through an auction by the Department of Land Transport. Forgery carries a penalty of up to 1 year in prison.