PM Prayut opposes plan for higher driving licence penalties

[chang1]

19 minutes ago, dotpoom said:

I ask myself again (after reading all the usual bashing) why don't you just go home if it is as bad as you see it?

The D...likes to instill fear into his base concerning migrants etc , but at least his "base" are from his country...and the migrants are from the outside.

Here we have the migrants preaching to the people in their own country.

  Why not pick up a "cause" in your own country.

After being off work for over 18 months due to a bus crash in Thailand I have every right to criticize Thai driving, which is possibly the worst in the world, and efforts to improve it. I also have family in Thailand who are endangered every time they go near a road. 

If some outside pressure gets the Thai people to wake up to how abysmal the situation is it can only be a good thing. The Thai attitude that they are always right and cannot bear to lose face by admitting that they don't have all the answers needs to be changed when it comes to safety. Also you are ignoring that the "base" are largely uneducated and so are more likely to believe some muppet who says that passing a rigorous driving test will not improve driving standards. 

You need to wake up to how serious the situation is instead of wanting it to be ignored and therefore never improved. Why don't you change your "cause" to one that will save lives instead of saving face?

[Wiggy]

6 minutes ago, Easy Come Easy Go said:

Thailand, listen. 
Set up speeding cameras with an auto-flash censors, which will snap shots of people's plates if they go over a certain speed limit. This will dramatically decrease speeding in specific areas, which will result in less deaths, and also money to the government etc. 

And a market for fake plates appears. I think the corruption needs to be targeted first, but we know that won't happen. I really do think it's a lost cause.

[Wiggy]

49 minutes ago, dotpoom said:

I ask myself again (after reading all the usual bashing) why don't you just go home if it is as bad as you see it?

The D...likes to instill fear into his base concerning migrants etc , but at least his "base" are from his country...and the migrants are from the outside.

Here we have the migrants preaching to the people in their own country.

  Why not pick up a "cause" in your own country.

I don't like the content of romance novels, so I don't read them. You don't have to read this.

[klauskunkel]

two days ago:

Quote

New driving license regulations good for business, says driving school instructor

Some 10 million Thais are thought to be on the roads without a license 

today:

3 hours ago, webfact said:

PM disagrees with higher penalties for drivers without driving licenses

It's obvious the PM is courting votes from the law-breaking public...

[ZeVonderBearz]

Vote buying? Sees everyone up in arms over the increase, so he opposes it to make it appear he's on the side of the people. Maybe this is just me being cynical. 

[chang1]

9 minutes ago, Wiggy said:

And a market for fake plates appears. I think the corruption needs to be targeted first, but we know that won't happen. I really do think it's a lost cause.

If the fine is only 1000 Baht, even if the law was rigorously enforced it would not be a deterrent so nothing would change.

[norfolkc]

Just enforce the laws correctly  that are in place  at the moment and  that would make a  world of difference 

[chang1]

5 hours ago, webfact said:

“Let me tell you, you can’t blame everything on driving-licence violations,” General Prayut said. 

You can't blame everything on any single problem. You can blame everything on the attitude that it is a small problem and not worth doing anything about. 

[hobobo]

Well, Mr Prayut, if you think that the proposal is so unfair to the poor people, why don't you proclaim that no-one should ever be fined by the Police again, for any motoring offence, period. It may end up with massive "confusion" or, worse, "battlefield" on Thailand's roads, but will also ensure that you go down as the most popular PM in the country's history! In my humble opinion, however, the proposal is the first step in a long march towards safer roads.

[Thailand]

Classic bait and switch.

[chang1]

4 minutes ago, norfolkc said:

Just enforce the laws correctly  that are in place  at the moment and  that would make a  world of difference 

Not if the consequences don't hurt.

[Sydebolle]

Discussion is pathetic and typical for Thailand.

It is irrelevant who high the penalty is as the discussion revolves over "higher penalties = higher corruption" as the bribes will go up. 

The discussion can be avoided all together by having ......... a driving license. And, for once, go to Europe and look, how the Europeans issue their licenses. A trial period of two years follows a lifelong license until you reach 70, after which you go for physical driving abilities. 

Here you go every five years, a farce in its own right and a total waste of time for applicant and officer. 

Want to get serious? Then amend the licensing to 21st century common-sense and start training the kids free of charge. Might affect the purchase of one of the three sub-marines though ............. 

[chang1]

A high penalty or a high bribe would both work the same as a deterrent. 

[jvs]

3 hours ago, Prairieboy said:

A few ideas to complement the increased fines and to reduce the carnage on the roads:

 

Immediately confiscate vehicles from unlicensed operators - vehicles to be held until the operator has successfully completed the requisite training and has been issued a license.

  

Immediately confiscate motorcycles with helmetless drivers and/or passengers.  (Impose a 10,000 baht on the parents of the underage driver).  Seize all motorcycles with more than 2 persons aboard.

 

The above obviously requires the police force to enforce the laws.  Following is a proactive solution to reducing accidents and deaths.

 

Do away with the current non-academic subjects in schools and replace with mandatory driver education starting at 12 years old (focusing on safety, road etiquette, and vehicle care and control).  The theoretical aspects of driving would then to be complemented by on-the-road practical driving under the tutelage of a qualified instructor beginning at age 14.  No driving permit issued until successful completion of the foregoing to be confirmed by an independent testing agent at the LTD who could then issue a 2-year probationary license.  (Restrictions may include daylight driving only, no passengers (motorcycles), or a limited number if in a pick-up or automobile.)

 
 

Your first idea will not work,people need their vehicles to work and transport the family,too harsh for Thailand.

Second idea is also over the top,how will a poor family with two kids be able to go anywhere?Also too harsh.Maybe send kids home who arrive in school without a DP and or a helmet?They would just park on the road somewhere!!

Teaching kids road safety in school is a really good idea,i hope they will start something like that!!!

They already issue a temporary license,after dark the police over here do not work.

[Scotssing]

It probably does not make a huge difference whether this policy is implemented or not. Possession of a licence per se does not mean better driving.

However if they back track on this measure the question I would like to ask is just what policy or measure has been effective in the last 4 years in reducing the carnage on the roads and what measures do they propose going forward to bring the death and injury toll down? In other words let us have some leadership which gives us confidence that being on the roads will be safer in the future.

[Lupatria]

5 hours ago, Get Real said:

I guess T4.0 could help with that. If a driver in a normal country forgets his driver license a check up in a database of the car, owner or possible ID-card can provide the answer needed.

One of the local Einsteins must have given him a note with this formula:

 

Drivers without license on motorbikes 8 mio. + 2 mio in cars = how many voters.............?

[krobert6]

Get your underlings to put forward non acceptable (to Thais) policies and reject them  - electioneering.  Will see much more of this 

[Jimbo1964]

General Clueless is at it again. Weak as piss.

[lazeeboy]

He has just got some brownie points for his campaign.threaten the minions with heavy fines and more police corruption and in one statement take it all away .50000 baht fines for our netizens not fair .vote another in and maybe they'll in force it ,so vote for me guys??

[lapamita]

5 hours ago, MaxYakov said:

The General is correct. Cannot blame everything on "driving-license violations", 

...sure not their are still FOREIGN dirvers on the streets!!

 

..thats why for example the better idea is, for example:

 

International foreign drivinglicence incl the local from Germany is NOT LONGER VALID IN THAILAND

 

joke????? NO JOKE !!!!!! already..see warnings on embassy webside.....alrady get friends fined for it !!!!

[mikebell]

Didn't he also ban police road blocks; (photo shows Pattaya police going about their primary business); riding in the backs of pick-ups; crime re-enactments; (Pattaya police did one this week with the double murder assassin.)

[lvr181]

If he disagrees, what is his viable alternative solution (apart from the usual do nothing)?

 

Time for Mr PM to step up and stop playing politics!

 

But, I have to say that huge licence fines are not going to solve the problem but will certainly be open to further more monetary rewarding bribery and corruption.

 

Take the money out of it and perhaps, for a licence holder the second offence is jail, for a non licence holder the first offence is jail. For further future offences, confiscation of vehicle and more jail. ?

 

Draconian maybe, but sometimes you do need a sledgehammer to crack a nut.

[Ban Phe Dezza]

Perhaps not Relevant In the Philippines parents can be fined or go to jail if they let their children Drive M ? or M/C without a licence

[Media1]

All l need is some more votes... Some more votes. All I want is some money. Some money. 

 

[Media1]

35 minutes ago, lvr181 said:

If he disagrees, what is his viable alternative solution (apart from the usual do nothing)?

 

Time for Mr PM to step up and stop playing politics!

 

But, I have to say that huge licence fines are not going to solve the problem but will certainly be open to further more monetary rewarding bribery and corruption.

 

Take the money out of it and perhaps, for a licence holder the second offence is jail, for a non licence holder the first offence is jail. For further future offences, confiscation of vehicle and more jail. ?

 

Draconian maybe, but sometimes you do need a sledgehammer to crack a nut.

The land of unreformed unwilling I'm working laws and enforcers. Everyone as corrupt as the other. A big orgy

[timber]

If you want illegal activities to stop there have to be penalties. Within reason, the more you need it to stop the higher the penalty. To allow drivering without licenses is to encourage accidents, and make enforcement a joke. 

[hotchilli]

Vote buying so soon !!?

[krystian]

" Driving is not a constitutional right. You get your drivers license based on the skills you have and the rules you agree to follow."

https://driversed.com/driving-information/the-driving-privilege/driving-is-a-privilege-not-a-right.aspx

 

Does this makes sense to them at all??? No License No Skills No rules to follow LOL welcome to the Jungle!!!

 

[outsider]

“Let me tell you, you can’t blame everything on driving-licence violations,” General Prayut said. 

 

Yes, you are right, but it's a start - unless you have a better solution? What a regressive buffoon.

[CLW]

...sure not their are still FOREIGN dirvers on the streets!!
 
..thats why for example the better idea is, for example:
 
International foreign drivinglicence incl the local from Germany is NOT LONGER VALID IN THAILAND
 
joke????? NO JOKE !!!!!! already..see warnings on embassy webside.....alrady get friends fined for it !!!!

I wasn't aware of that but it is correct. German Embassy website confirm your statement. Then I would guess ALL European driving licenses and probably a lot of other foreign licenses as well are or have never been valid in Thailand.
Which makes a relatively high number of motorcycle and car rentals illegal.
And that since years.
Can't believe this is real...omg