It's Highway Robbery! Thais scream in protest at new fines calling them an excuse for more police corruption

[Kwasaki]

Another thread for opportunity of Thai bash.

I thought most people didn't mind paying no DL fines, some farangies on holiday are one.

Obviously there must many people out there who haven't got a DL who are not poor, only pay fines at the police station may help corruption of at side of road-side fine.

[trianglechoke]

17 hours ago, darksidedog said:

And therein lies the big problem. Thais are more concerned with the amount of money they are already being fleeced of by the cops, than they are about the amount of death on the roads. It says to me that while the carnage on the roads is a terrible issue, that needs to be addressed, your average citizen here thinks that the police are a bigger problem. And that is with current fine levels. Trying to defend his officers as "honest and upright" is just laughable, as from the reaction to the new fine levels, it is obvious that the entire population clearly believes that totally the opposite is true.

While i think people should get a license. . Could u and many others here tell how obtaining one will improve driving,  reduce drink driving and thus reduce accidents? ?? 

 

The thing was to reduce accidents. .. I can't see how this helps

[trianglechoke]

26 minutes ago, kamahele said:

Thailand already has some good driving laws in place but they are not enforced properly.  Try paying police a living wage, train and equip police properly  and arrest those involved in corrupt behavior. I'm a dreamer.

It is possible that as bartering and finding amicable solutions through exchange and or trade is so ingrained in Thai culture that a living wage could translate to police with more money doing the same things.

Very possible.

I'm still for a license but the mode of transportation being taken away until a license is achieved.

Then still nobody will suddenly have better driving skils and retesting everyone could take years. This might require generational change.

 

[Neeranam]

2 hours ago, Dukeleto said:

The general response from the Thai public to the article is clear...they do not want or wish to be a 1st world nation

Do you? I don't.

[anon4637435435]

thais are always playing the victim's. So pathetic...

 

The problem here is people think of the police as criminals which they are. what about a compromise? Corrupt police get the death sentence for corruption or not following the law and people without a license get 50k fine.

 

its fair!!!!

 

It would work and anyone in protest gets hit with a44 which is what it should be used for to kick this country in to the 21st century.

[wvavin]

Just confiscate and crush all their vehicles if caught without the driving license and we shall see if these morons still dare to drive as they like without license.

[Jimbo1964]

I don't recall seeing public outrage when the death statistics are published for Songkran or New Year !

 

Get law breakers to pay more fines (It might actually become a deterrent), pay police more so they don't want to risk losing their well paid job by taking a 100 baht bribe and spend some of the (fine) money on better recruitment, training and equipping of "Real" Police officers. 

[Crustyhk]

This is going to be a very lucrative scheme.

 Although the fines are disproportionate, drivers/riders should be licenced and more importantly, trained. But the Thais have no faith in a corrupt system and know the revenue from fines will just make fat cats fatter. In AUS every rider undergoes a rider education course before obtaining their Learners licence. 

An expat or tourist in Thailand riding a scooter with a reciprocal licence or IDP but not having an endorsement on that licence for a motorcycle will be in trouble when pulled over. I can already hear the standard line of "50,000 baht fine or pay 25,000 now. ATM over there"

I bet the vast majority of foreigners in Thailand are riding on car licences. They could make these fines a million or a billion baht. It would be just as unaffordable to them. But the good old farang? Ka Ching Ka Ching

 

 

[nong38]

What about stamping out police corruption in one swoop by stopping fining motorists for breaking the law, even if they are blind, deaf, limbs missing, confirmed as having no common sense, no consideration for others regardless of whether they were a crash helmet to bed.

[jvs]

27 minutes ago, trianglechoke said:

It is possible that as bartering and finding amicable solutions through exchange and or trade is so ingrained in Thai culture that a living wage could translate to police with more money doing the same things.

Very possible.

I'm still for a license but the mode of transportation being taken away until a license is achieved.

Then still nobody will suddenly have better driving skils and retesting everyone could take years. This might require generational change.

 

I am sure so called driving skills can be improved in a matter of minutes.It is called enforcement!!!Just look at all the double parking and the BIB just let it go,what if you knew you are going to get a ticket?

 

[Media1]

The day Prayut took office was a downhill slide for Thailand in so many respects. Promises of legitimate reforms which became business partnerships for him.instead. The spine of a daddy long legs spider.

Unfortunately corruption and incompetence is 3 fold under him. A huge failure and disgrace

 

[jvs]

3 minutes ago, Crustyhk said:

This is going to be a very lucrative scheme.

 Although the fines are disproportionate, drivers/riders should be licenced and more importantly, trained. But the Thais have no faith in a corrupt system and know the revenue from fines will just make fat cats fatter. In AUS every rider undergoes a rider education course before obtaining their Learners licence. 

An expat or tourist in Thailand riding a scooter with a reciprocal licence or IDP but not having an endorsement on that licence for a motorcycle will be in trouble when pulled over. I can already hear the standard line of "50,000 baht fine or pay 25,000 now. ATM over there"

I bet the vast majority of foreigners in Thailand are riding on car licences. They could make these fines a million or a billion baht. It would be just as unaffordable to them. But the good old farang? Ka Ching Ka Ching

 

 

An expat should have a Thai DP but a tourist should not be driving without a IDP.Would you drive in your home country without the proper DP?

[Psimbo]

Having a licence does not make anyone a better driver but this is a start. Break the law 3 times and have your vehicle impounded for a week or a month. Do it again have it crushed- it's the only way Somchai will learn.

 

Licences will not reduce the carnage on the road, better enforcement of real driving offences will. A Thai minibus driver took out 4 other vehicles near me last year, paid B five hundred fine and was back on the road. Farang (sober at 11 am) clipped a motorbike that was illegally coming up his inside and got hit for B10k. He would have been better calling his insurance broker than trying to take on the cops at their own game.

 

At least the increased fines are a start- I'll give them credit for that. G/F doesn't have a licence because she says she doesn't go far! I point out the first licence only costs B350 (ish) she counters with 'the fine is only 300'- she doesn't get the economics of scale. Maybe when the increased fines come in she WILL get it (and a licence)

 

All the whingers are also forgetting that its UP TO the amounts mentioned, not automatically those amounts.

[jvs]

5 minutes ago, nong38 said:

What about stamping out police corruption in one swoop by stopping fining motorists for breaking the law, even if they are blind, deaf, limbs missing, confirmed as having no common sense, no consideration for others regardless of whether they were a crash helmet to bed.

There lies the problem,people do not get fined for all of the problems you mentioned.

[jvs]

2 minutes ago, Psimbo said:

All the whingers are also forgetting that its UP TO the amounts mentioned, not automatically those amounts

I see a problem with that,it should be clear how much the amount is.

This way you can still negotiate the price,more room for corruption.

 

[nong38]

9 minutes ago, Media1 said:

The day Prayut took office was a downhill slide for Thailand in so many respects. Promises of legitimate reforms which became business partnerships for him.instead. The spine of a daddy long legs spider.

Unfortunately corruption and incompetence is 3 fold under him. A huge failure and disgrace

 

When he took over he made the right sounds but as usual all talk and well his dream did not turn into reality as he lay back in the wishy washy political well that suits them in it and controlling it but pays little attention to the people who are outside of that cosy little world.

The big question is after the election, yes I think there will be one. will the worlds collide? They used to say that the army was green on the outside but red on the inside and I wonder how far up the chain of command that goes.

[Formaleins]

Big difference in a criminal offence like murder compared to what is basically a technicality in Civil law. The increase in fines and jail time are totally out of proportion with the cause and effects of not having a driving licence - and given the nature and quality of the actual driving test, is not worth the paper it is printed on. Just the usual knee jerk reactions from Thailands biggest bunch of jerks.

 

Getting pulled without a licence was a 400 Baht fine, an inconvenience for us, but over a days pay for the average local. Now that they may get a whopper of a fine plus some serious jail time, I can see old Somchai trying to make a bolt for freedom, imagine the carnage that will cause when Somchai decides to be "Gone in Sixty Seconds"

[wombat]

19 hours ago, Darcula said:

 

Concerned about high fines? Don't break the law.

have you seen how many motor bikes are parked at schools ?

 

[Media1]

Police have no authority or rights to demand money or pass the legal outcome of a unlicensed traffic violation. This is to be handled by the courts on a case to case basis end. In fact RTP NEED to be completely stripped and replaced period end.

 

[edwardflory]

My 2 cents worth.....only a starting suggestion

 

NATIONAL database of DL and  register driving related offences

14 point system over a 5 year period, Hit 14 points 1st time, 1 year, 5,000bt fine....., Hit 14 points 2nd time in 5 years, 3 years, 50,000bt fine,..... Hit 14 points 3rd time in 10 years, 100,000bt fine LIFETIME NO DRIVING

 

No DL

1st time 5000bt and confiscated vehicle 10 days - pay for storage, 6 points... 2nd time 10000 and 7 points  and confiscated vehicle 30 days - pay for storage, and 15 days jail - pay 350bt a day jail room and board ... 3rd time 25000 and confiscated vehicle SOLD , 6 MONTHS jail - also see first paragraph.

[Expatthailover]

Yes every thai I have encountered is 'screaming' about this.

Screaming is so bad I have closed all the windows and doors due to the noise.

[Crustyhk]

28 minutes ago, jvs said:

An expat should have a Thai DP but a tourist should not be driving without a IDP.Would you drive in your home country without the proper DP?

You missed the point. Most tourist "ride" on a reciprocal or IDP without motorcycle endorsement. BIB are often happy with the car licence. With fines at 50k they will not

i have motorcycle endorsement on my Australian licence so I'm fine

 

[BimBoon]

19 hours ago, Darcula said:

 

Concerned about high fines? Don't break the law.

Spot on. Just shows how many are out there without one else why would you complian. It's about time. I fear going out now as twice my life has nearly been a gonna. More please. Wreckless selfish driving also needs big penalties. Only way to stop it is hit them in there pocket.

[Crustyhk]

9 minutes ago, BimBoon said:

Spot on. Just shows how many are out there without one else why would you complian. It's about time. I fear going out now as twice my life has nearly been a gonna. More please. Wreckless selfish driving also needs big penalties. Only way to stop it is hit them in there pocket.

 

I got stung with a 1k fine (2k pay now 1k) in Sukhumvit for littering by throwing a cigarette but. 

 

Not or bad considering I don't smoke!!!

[Crustyhk]

7 minutes ago, BimBoon said:

Spot on. Just shows how many are out there without one else why would you complian. It's about time. I fear going out now as twice my life has nearly been a gonna. More please. Wreckless selfish driving also needs big penalties. Only way to stop it is hit them in there pocket.

You don't need to break the law to be fined in Thailand 

[Krataiboy]

2 hours ago, Deli said:

I really wonder why all the "obey the law - fanatics" on this forum are living in Thailand ?

You and me both. One of the things which attracted most of us to Thailand in the first place was its free and easy attitude to just about anything and everything.

 

Trust a bunch of military brasshats, who would have us all painting coal if they could, to come along and spoil the party.

 

The good news is that this latest dollop of misery heaped on the peasants could be the final nail in of Big Chief Five Rivers and his tribe come polling day.

 

On yer bike, squire - and don't forget to take your licence, insurance, ID card and crash helmet with you. Plus lots of baht in course, just in case. . . 

[cmsally]

Fines are totally disproportionate to wages - we are talking 1 month - 6 months wages for many people.

Totally disagree that they can fine  you 10,000 Bt for simply not having your license with you. You should be given a length of time to produce it for inspection , as in most places.

So despite the fact everything about me and my vehicle is legal ; I could face a fine of 10k just because I might forget my wallet or whatever holds my license.

On the subject of Chiang Mai, what are they going to do with the tourists who are stopped and charged every day for not having the right license? It is getting ridiculous , 500 Bt a time for every tourist that doesn't have the right kind of license, then they just send them on their way.

[saltire1]

20 hours ago, Darcula said:

 

Concerned about high fines? Don't break the law.

The Thai public have lost confidence in the police.  THAT is why they treat the law with contempt.  Why should they obey the laws when the enforcement agency (police) so blatantly do not.

Get the police off their backsides and out of their comfortable offices to patrol the streets.  I have visited over 50 countries worldwide and have NEVER seen a country so lacking in a visible police force.  Fix the police and that will go a long way to reducing the road carnage.  Oh yes and a real driving test would help.

[Saladin]

While cracking down on licences is laudable it will do very little to improve road safety, for possession of a driver's or rider's licence is no guarantee of competence as is quite apparent in Thailand.

 

The root cause of the dangerous roads situation is that the police do not enforce the existing traffic rules. Presumably the cops are just carrying out the instructions of their superiors and the roads will never be any safer until such time as there is a purge of the lazy, incompetent, and often corrupt senior cops who are supposed to be directing and controlling their foot soldiers.

 

Nearly every day in Chiang Mai the police set up a roadside net opposite Maya Shopping Centre to apprehend motor bike riders who are not wearing a helmet and/or having a rider's licence. This  involves no less than eight policemen, plus two officers who sit at a desk writing tickets and collecting the loot. Meanwhile, in Nimmanhaemin Road, Chiang Mai's most popular area for Chinese tourists and only 50 metres away, there is never a police presence. Around 11.15PM every night a convoy of up to 50 motorbikes roars down Nimmanhaemin Road. Many of them are speeding, few riders wear helmets, many don't have lights, some bikes are carrying 3 or even 4 riders, and riders straddle the double lines, with total impunity as there is never a cop to be seen. I count at least 100 infringements in the space of fifteen minutes. Even at modest fines of 200 baht each that's 20,000 baht that could be going into state coffers - not bad for an hour's work. But of more importance, a proactive traffic police force would have a huge impact on improving road safety.

[rocketman777]

The punishment needs to be proportional to the offense.

 

This is way out of proportion.

 

Especially if you have forgotten carry your license.

 

I doubt if there is not one person who has not done this at some time in their lives

 

In most countries this , and should , just require you to present the license within 1 or 2 days at a police station