New point system aims to weed out bad drivers

[webfact]

New point system aims to weed out bad drivers

By The Nation

 

File photo

 

Police are working toward a new point-cutting system next month to try to weed out bad driver from the streets. And the first step, a ticketing system with a bar code, will be introduced this Sunday.

In the system, each motorist would start with 12 points that would be shaved down as drivers commit traffic offences. When a driver has lost all points, they would be banned for driving for a certain period of time, said Pol Maj-General Ekkarak Limsangkas, chief of the Police Ticket Management project.

 

Ekkarak said on Thursday that certain details of the project have yet to be worked out, especially how many points would be cut for each type of traffic law violation.

 

He said his team will create three categories – light, medium and severe offences – which would also have a certain number of points associated with them. Then each of the traffic offences would be assigned to one of the categories.

 

It is that last step that is so far still being worked out, as the police debate which offence belongs in which category with which number of points.

 

As a point is lost for a violation, it would not be returned for a year.

 

If all 12 points were erased, the driver would be banned from the roads for 90 days. If they are banned three times over three years, the Land Transport Department would be notified, they would have their driver’s license annulled, and they would not be allowed to drive for a year.

 

If they then get their licence back after a year, but again deplete their points, they may lose their right to drive for life, Ekkarak said.

 

He said his team is still considering a system for retraining drivers before restoring their points.

 

Ekkarak said if all details are worked out in December, the point-cutting system could be introduced as early as next month.

 

But first they must link the online database hosting driver’s licences to the database of traffic tickets.

 

As part of the new system, police will use new tickets with barcodes, which will be automatically recorded into the online ticket system, Ekkarak said.

 

He said the new barcode traffic tickets will be implemented on Sunday.

 

Source: http://www.nationmultimedia.com/detail/national/30333982

 

-- © Copyright The Nation 2017-12-15

[Smiley Face]

18 minutes ago, webfact said:

When a driver has lost all points, they would be banned for driving for a certain period of time

Since so many Thai driver don't bother with a license anyway I don't see this as being a tremendous advantage.  Thailand still needs a real police force to enforce laws in the first place.  If anything, it will only serve to encourage larger bribes to the BIB to turn the other way.  Certainly Thai driving is a problem but lack of effective, honest policing is a worse issue since it lets the reckless Thai drivers go unchecked.

[Dexlowe]

29 minutes ago, webfact said:

But first they must link the online database hosting driver’s licences to the database of traffic tickets.

Mark my words: They won't be able to do this, so the points system will have to be put on hold for another year or two. (No, I'm not clairvoyant, just aware of the history of these things.  )

 

Anyway, there's another hurdle to be overcome first. It starts with: "Do you KNOW WHO I AM?"

[steve187]

lets start with driver training/education and good testing, and no brown envelope licences

Edited December 14, 2017 by steve187

[jaywalker]

55 minutes ago, webfact said:

But first they must link the online database hosting driver’s licences to the database of traffic tickets.

The Achilles Heal that will forever be broken down due to lack of maintenance...IF it ever works in the first place.

[Briggsy]

Ignoring the fact that over 90% of offences committed in front of the police are ignored by the police.

 

70%, say, of offences are settled with an unreceipted fine.

Each police station area is a mini-fiefdom so they will only report 10% of the receipted fines to the points database.

The staff at the points database will have I.T. problems or administrative problems meaning the system is down 85% of the time.

Upon hitting 12 points, the points database, presumably held by the police, would need to inform the Land Transport Dept to rescind the offender's licence. Such inter-deparmental communication only works around 8% of the time if you are lucky.

 

This proposal will never be implemented in Thailand in any working form in my lifetime which could be another 50 years.

[Thaiwrath]

Another 'plan' that theoretically is a great idea. 

But, anyone with any idea of how things work over here, would be well aware that it probably won't get off the ground, and if it does, enforcing it is a different ball game.

[Bluespunk]

1 hour ago, webfact said:

Ekkarak said on Thursday that certain details of the project have yet to be worked out, especially how many points would be cut for each type of traffic law violation.

That’s fairly crucial, wouldn’t you say?

[PhonThong]

There is no interprovincial communication here. Just ask one immigration office in one province to check on your information from another province. Not happening. Probably why you must do 90-day checks and annual extensions in your own immigration office.

 Driving violations will not be known outside of the province they occurred in.  So, lose your license. Just move to another province. Start with a clean slate.

[ezzra]

Listen to this, few years ago i had an accident where a pickup hit

me broadside not giving right way, the driver, a typical farmer type

driving a wreck he called a car that wasn't even roadwearthy

condition, had No driver's licence, No insurance and his vehicle was

NOT even registered, cut a long story short, my insurance couldn't get

any money out of him, and the police? they wearn't phased at all that

the man had no business  driving on the road at all, and they just let him

go saying, Oh, he's a poor man, mai pen rai.....

 

[dinsdale]

Demerit point system. Will only work if enforced. If enforced this will definitely solve the traffic jams in BKK as there will be no cars left on the road.

[grumbleweed]

and the shakedown per point value will be how much?

Call me cynical, but I can't help thinking  the headline should read "Cops Given Huge Pay Rise"

 

[anon789561]

ahh, bloody speed cameras and now points on the licence. came here to get away from that shit ; )

[cyberfarang]

When a driver has lost all points, they would be banned for driving for a certain period of time, or pay the nice policeman 200 baht and they`ll forget all about it.

 

While bribes for traffic offences are still prevalent in Thailand, this system will not work. 

[George Bowman]

Over four decades ago, I had to learn this 12-point system in order to have  driving license. A 16-year old kid will study if a car is involved.  I learned that driving is a privilege, not a right.  The system does work. A good friend of mine went to prison for seven years for drunk driving. He never had a crash. He just like to drive slow and drink in the countryside. After three times, the judge said goodbye.

 

Will it work here? Sure. But it will be heavily seasoned with Thainess...

 

 

Edited December 15, 2017 by missoura

[Orton Rd]

1 hour ago, steve187 said:

lets start with driver training/education and good testing, and no brown envelope licences

Too obvious, too logical and too foreign !

[damian]

Pffffffffft.

[prakhonchai nick]

A 5,000baht fine across the board -minimum - for EVERY motoring infringement. Give the Police 20% No ifs, no buts no exceptions.  Never mind who the culprits are. If VIPs, fine them 10,000 baht, since they should be setting an example to everyone else

[r136dg]

Again; Teach the cops how to drive safely & put them on the roads actively patrolling, ticket people for careless driving. Impound their vehicle for the second offense. Make it hurt (monetarily). Than some thought will go into passing on a blind curve with a solid yellow line. Heavy fines & jail time for running around like a maniac with no license. 

 

@ezzra; way to common.

[worgeordie]

The Government will do a U-turn (pardon the pun),it will 

"mulled" over and will be found to difficult to implement,

all those points and categories of offences.just like no  

passengers in back of pick-ups !

regards Worgeordie

[JAG]

It will be like collecting those 7/11 "Hello Kitty" stamps. By the time you have filled up your card they will have given up on the offer!

Sent from my KENNY using Thailand Forum - Thaivisa mobile app

[r136dg]

I should add; the roads need massive work. More lanes also & probably a minimum speed limit. The ultra slow vehicles get many worked up to pass radically at high speed.

Never mind, it's hopeless.

Edited December 15, 2017 by r136dg
spelling

[ChrisY1]

46 minutes ago, ezzra said:

Listen to this, few years ago i had an accident where a pickup hit

me broadside not giving right way, the driver, a typical farmer type

driving a wreck he called a car that wasn't even roadwearthy

condition, had No driver's licence, No insurance and his vehicle was

NOT even registered, cut a long story short, my insurance couldn't get

any money out of him, and the police? they wearn't phased at all that

the man had no business  driving on the road at all, and they just let him

go saying, Oh, he's a poor man, mai pen rai.....

 

Quite normal....

[Dexlowe]

1 hour ago, Briggsy said:

This proposal will never be implemented in Thailand in any working form in my lifetime which could be another 50 years.

I sincerely hope you live for another 50 years, Briggsy. But as I would like to see this system implemented, I have to, sadly, hope for your early demise. No offense, matey -- I hope you'll let me buy you a beer. Sooner rather than later, of course.  

[silent]

2 hours ago, Smiley Face said:

Since so many Thai driver don't bother with a license anyway I don't see this as being a tremendous advantage.  Thailand still needs a real police force to enforce laws in the first place.  If anything, it will only serve to encourage larger bribes to the BIB to turn the other way.  Certainly Thai driving is a problem but lack of effective, honest policing is a worse issue since it lets the reckless Thai drivers go unchecked.

Which problem and which tentacle of corruption would you recommend addressing first then

[RichardinHuaHin]

Well  I think that since they cannot even enforce wearing helmets, broken lights or idiots that drive with no lights on.... I don't see how anything will change since there is no enforcement currently.

[kwak250]

3 points for a bald tyre would be interesting here I asked my nephew why he was slicks on his car and he said still got ages left on them.

[CGW]

9 minutes ago, RichardinHuaHin said:

Well  I think that since they cannot even enforce wearing helmets, broken lights or idiots that drive with no lights on.... I don't see how anything will change since there is no enforcement currently.

They don't have the money or sense to fix their lights but to a Man! each and every Somchai has the money to fit the noisiest exhaust on the market! The noisy bikes and trucks are not even on the Police radar, probably consider it would be too honest to take money for actual infractions!

[Ceruhe]

Random assumption, the point system will also award points instead of just taking them away.

 

Driving with somtam +2

[jobwolf]

Just contact a government in Europe. They will be happy to help since most use this system since many years. But also enforce it when it is time to do so.