Land Transport Dept: Hefty fines are to promote road safety

Vipaporn Pooritanasarn

 

 

BANGKOK, 25th August 2018 (NNT) - The Land Transport Department has allayed motorists’ worries about the new bill that will see those caught driving without a license having to pay a hefty fine of up to 50,000 baht, saying the proposed law is aimed at improving road safety. 

Deputy Director-General of the Department of Land Transport, Kamol Buranapong explained that the new bill, which combines the contents of the Land Transport Act 1979 and the Motor Vehicle Act 1979, is to strengthen the surveillance of motorists' behavior to prevent and reduce traffic accidents more efficiently. 

According to Mr. Kamol, statistics indicated that as many as 60 percent of drivers responsible for road accidents have no driver's license, and most of them are aged under 24. It is also found that the risk of motorists without driver licenses being killed or injured in road accidents is twice that of motorists having driver licenses. 

Meanwhile, Commander of the Special Police Branch’s Division 3, Pol Maj-General Ekkarat Limsangkat has eased public fears that the new bill would open the way for rogue officers to demand money from motorists, saying the court, not police is the only body to decide on the penalty. 

National Police Spokesman Pol Colonel Krissana Pattanacharoen, later announced that all police on duty had been instructed to remove their face masks when having to identify themselves to motorists. Those spotting rule-breaking police are advised to photograph them or send video clips showing their rule-breaking actions to the Royal Thai Police immediately.

 

 

-- nnt 2018-08-26

5 minutes ago, rooster59 said:

The Land Transport Department has allayed motorists’ worries about the new bill

since when are our fears allayed by the words of some thai public official ?

4 minutes ago, rooster59 said:

to strengthen the surveillance of motorists' behavior to prevent and reduce traffic accidents more efficiently.

I can only assume that means clearing up faster after the accidents?

 

 

8 minutes ago, rooster59 said:

It is also found that the risk of motorists without driver licenses being killed or injured in road accidents is twice that of motorists having driver licenses. 

I really can't follow that logic, given the farce that the driving test is.

 

Overtaken yesterday on a 90' blind bend and saw a car today with the windscreen that looked a like a brick had smashed into right in front of the drivers view, please explain the meaning of safety as it seems lost on the population.

58 minutes ago, bluesofa said:

I can only assume that means clearing up faster after the accidents?

 

 

I really can't follow that logic, given the farce that the driving test is.

 

because there is no logic to their motives if they knew diddly squat

soon to come the first finger pointing photo opp...then the police can relax ,stand down ,and let ''Thunder Dome'' carry on ...

so in other words it was just hot air like the ban on riding in the back of pickups, just a way for these people to justify their jobs.

1 hour ago, rooster59 said:

According to Mr. Kamol, statistics indicated that as many as 60 percent of drivers responsible for road accidents have no driver's license, and most of them are aged under 24. It is also found that the risk of motorists without driver licenses being killed or injured in road accidents is twice that of motorists having driver licenses

Sorry, but I think that this is complete nonsense. All owning a Thai driving license means is that you can operate a vehicle legally. It in no way means you are a competent driver as is proven time and time again.  They are just way to easy to obtain. The only reason for  owning a Thai license is for insurance purposes. Apart from that they are not worth the plastic they are printed on.   

24 minutes ago, Dmaxdan said:

... Apart from that they are not worth the plastic they are printed on.

Not sure about anyone else but te Thai DL gets me an absolutely hassle-free car rental experience in the UK.

2 hours ago, rooster59 said:

National Police Spokesman Pol Colonel Krissana later announced that all police on duty had been instructed to remove their face masks when having to identify themselves to motorists.

That's a bit unreasonable. Face masks, hat and dark glasses are standard Thai issue for police highway robbers.

Fines will achieve nothing if the driver doesn't know right from wrong. Most of these drivers should be sent back to driving school and beat some common sense into their skulls. But as usual TIT..

Edited August 26, 20187 yr by kotsak

All matters are to be seen by the courts. Not Somchai from Isan in a brown hire suit

There seems to be only two extremes in Thai thinking: ridiculously low fines and ridiculously high fines - nothing in between. 
And they don't 'get it.'  Road blocks will never stop the kind of driving that kills people, license or no license. 
They need cops in patrol cars pulling over highly aggressive drivers and then sanctions those with fines that have teeth. However, they will be pulling over Hi-sos and Puuyais and that can't be allowed to happen - so nothing will change other than the BIB will now have another tool in the shed for separating the least wealthy citizens from what little money they have, as well as completely overloading an already broken prison system.
"You no can pay fine?  You go to prison!"
Headlines in 2020: 90% of Thai prisoners in Thai jails incarcerated on drugs or driving offenses. 
Hummm, yeah buddy. ?

Edited August 26, 20187 yr by connda

Just once saw a movie about how a drivers license was obtained in Thailand.

LOL. It means nothing.

I think more, as they are under 24 yo, they take more risks while driving. you see them on the road crossing form left to right and back on high speed.

No drivers license can take that away. This is not only Thailand but everywhere in the world. And with all the movies on internet, they think they are all jezus.

Land Transport Dept: Hefty fines are to promote road safety

WRONG.... It's strictly to pay for 'tanks and Submarines'

so in other words it was just hot air like the ban on riding in the back of pickups, just a way for these people to justify their jobs.

That will be reurgitated on next Songkran [emoji6]

It is a good move to raise the fines but with the recent drivers education and the process to obtain a drivers license there is not much difference if you have one or not.

The only impact it will have on people whose licence has been confiscated by the police.

8 hours ago, rooster59 said:

the proposed law is aimed at improving road safety. 

No it isn't - it's to improve police choice of luxury cars; just got dinged for 300 baht (reduced from 500) 'cos I didn't know the road & wandered out of my lane.  I was 400 kms from home so didn't want to go to the station & argue.

STOP FLAPPING YOUR GUMS & JUST DO IT !

How many more have to be Maimed or Killed before you DO SOMETHING?

Until the authorities solve the issues of the drivers test itself, the public's apathy towards the rules of the road (even the ones published here), the Thai's belief that no matter what they do in the road a Wia is all one needs to get out of being yelled at, that the solid yellow line actually means  no passing, the Thai's feeling that road signs are not to be payed attention to, That bigger is better and always have the right-of-way. Yet the trouble is training... which there is really none of to any set standard that would be recognized in any other country (hell China has a better system). However, one has to look squarely at  the moronic and child endangering parents buying for their school aged children then allowing them to ride motorbike/scooters (of any CC displacement) should be held accountable also. But, let us not forget getting the Traffic Police and the local Plod to get off FB, Line, Instagram, etc. Education is important here. Fines are good... but impounding the cars, or whatever is even better! We all feel that an officer can have the ability to say "Pay me or go to court" with this new regulation. Maybe a more Western style system of issuing traffic violations/tickets would be better? Of course it would be! But, here? You have to be joking. maybe in BKK and CM... but out in the provinces? Yeah right! 5555

2 hours ago, mikebell said:

No it isn't - it's to improve police choice of luxury cars; just got dinged for 300 baht (reduced from 500) 'cos I didn't know the road & wandered out of my lane.  I was 400 kms from home so didn't want to go to the station & argue.

Did you show the nice police man, your dash cam footage

that you did nothing wrong ?

You do have a dash cam, don't you ? 

 

Ps I agree with the heavy fines, got to start some place.

and the pocket is the best place to start !!!!!!!!!!!!!!

Keep your vehicle in good order, have correct paper work with you,

don't brake the rules and regulations, keep your dash cam on.

you should be ok ish.

Nah can't do that !!!!!!!!! 

Edited August 26, 20187 yr by stanleycoin

10 hours ago, marko kok prong said:

so in other words it was just hot air like the ban on riding in the back of pickups, just a way for these people to justify their jobs.

Not people. Bureaucrats. 

10 hours ago, stanleycoin said:

Did you show the nice police man, your dash cam footage

that you did nothing wrong ?

You do have a dash cam, don't you ? 

 

Ps I agree with the heavy fines, got to start some place.

and the pocket is the best place to start !!!!!!!!!!!!!!

Keep your vehicle in good order, have correct paper work with you,

don't brake the rules and regulations, keep your dash cam on.

you should be ok ish.

Nah can't do that !!!!!!!!! 

I got a dash cam after two tearaways ran into my stationery car and the cop deemed it my fault.  I admitted I was in the wrong above.  The point of the story was to show that my 'fine' went into the policeman's pocket; just as the huge proposed fines will merely raise the going rate for police bribes without curing the daily slaughter.

21 minutes ago, mikebell said:

I got a dash cam after two tearaways ran into my stationery car and the cop deemed it my fault.  I admitted I was in the wrong above.  The point of the story was to show that my 'fine' went into the policeman's pocket; just as the huge proposed fines will merely raise the going rate for police bribes without curing the daily slaughter.

we all know your story 1000 times over. Big Yawn. 

Maybe the true moral of the story , is don't give in so quick. 

 

 

Edited August 26, 20187 yr by stanleycoin

23 hours ago, bluesofa said:

I can only assume that means clearing up faster after the accidents?

 

 

I really can't follow that logic, given the farce that the driving test is.

 

much better to make the so called driving test harder, should include a theoretical test of MANY questions of which a great percentage must be answered correctly IF NOT then the person does NOT pass  

16 hours ago, CLW said:

It is a good move to raise the fines but with the recent drivers education and the process to obtain a drivers license there is not much difference if you have one or not.

The only impact it will have on people whose licence has been confiscated by the police.

just how do you educate a Thai whose brain is unable to understand the rudiments of driving??

9 minutes ago, essox essox said:

much better to make the so called driving test harder, should include a theoretical test of MANY questions of which a great percentage must be answered correctly IF NOT then the person does NOT pass  

 

so 90% will just pay someone to get the license without test.

strop dreaming, it's clearly impossible that anything changes, and it's ok this way, because it's usually not me who dies :-)

 

 

 

Edited August 27, 20187 yr by gaff

On 8/26/2018 at 1:06 PM, kotsak said:

Fines will achieve nothing if the driver doesn't know right from wrong. Most of these drivers should be sent back to driving school and beat some common sense into their skulls. But as usual TIT..

what and which driving school there is no such thing here..... the driving schools are just to make more money....NOT teach people how to drive...

If a person fails the driving test how many times are they allowed to try and pass such??

You can not teach a person how to drive if their tiny little brains can not comprehend what they are being taught !!

so  they think that INCREASING fines will improve driving... what a joke..

increasing the difficulty to obtain  a driving licence is the way to go...

Yesterday I watched a Thai woman try to reverse into a parking bay.....it took her 8 attempts....then the car was not inline with the white lines....finished up been parked at an angle. She got out and went with a big smile on here face....I just sat there laughing...

On 8/27/2018 at 8:33 AM, essox essox said:

just how do you educate a Thai whose brain is unable to understand the rudiments of driving??

Can not be done I am afraid...if I was the examiner None would pass...