Tourist Police target rental operators over unlicensed tourists renting motorbikes

[samsensam]

4 hours ago, Nice Boyd said:

There are Motorbike and scooters all over the city of San Francisco, thst you rent remotely No License, Required, what’s the Big Deal 

 

they are trying to reduce the number of motorcycle related deaths and injuries on the roads, while this may be a drop in the ocean it is a least better than doing nothing. just.

[300sd]

If all tourists were in possession of a motorcycle license from their own countries, then it might mean that they have some idea of how to ride a motorcycle or a scooter! They could be a little safer riding here.......but not much. Here it takes great care and time to learn this craziness and many never learn.....

[connda]

Actually that's a good idea.  Nobody without a motorcycle endorsement and experience should be driving a cycle or scooter.  It's dangerous to begin with and in Thailand it's close to being suicidal. 

However, if implemented in a place like Pai, they'd kill the local businesses. 

[Burma Bill]

11 hours ago, Thaiwrath said:

I think valid insurance, by both the rental operators and the renters themselves, should also be mandatory, and checked for. 

Yes indeed. Also a valid International driving licence for cars or bikes.

[connda]

4 hours ago, Blue bruce said:

Do they mean Thai license or license of you country. The article does not mention ????

To be completely legal you'd need to have a valid driver's license with a motorcycle endorsement and an International Driver's Permit.  My guess is they'll forgo the motorcycle endorsement (the important part) and go with just a valid license and IDP.  The IDP is what most tourist don't have, well, that and any experience actually driving a motorcycle.  I've seen tourists in Pai.  It's scary, but Pai traffic isn't quite like driving in Chiang Mai or Bangkok.  It's a little more forgiving, and imho the foreign motorcyclists are a whole lot scarier than the average Thai drivers.

[xylophone]

2 hours ago, Redline said:

How many tourists have motorcycle licenses from their home countries? 

And if they don't have one they shouldn't be allowed to hire a bike......simple as that. Why on earth would you consider it safe to let untrained idiots drive on roads when they come on holiday?

 

Can't do it in their own countries but can practise here and poss kill or maim someone.....absolute madness.

[Media1]

12 hours ago, Thaiwrath said:

I think valid insurance, by both the rental operators and the renters themselves, should also be mandatory, and checked for. 

And take all the fun away lol. Your dreaming can't be policed. 2 well add bye next

[rosst]

10 hours ago, AhFarangJa said:

“Tourists lacking the skills to safely ride a motorbike is one of the key problems, not to dismiss the importance of tourists not wearing helmets. If a tourist is involved in even a small accident, if they are not wearing a helmet, the tourist can die,” he noted.

 

Substitute Tourist for Thais and you would be closer to the truth.

 

Of note, the strategy was launched in Phuket in April this year, but Gen Angkoon said that the impetus to follow up on this has fallen short.
No shit Sherlock, this goes for just about every law that is brought out.

I am all for any idea that helps reduce the carnage, and I see Farangs every day on motorbikes that have absolutely no clue as to how to ride. However, please make it across the board. I would put money on the fact that while pc plod in the photo was checking Farangs a couple of dozen Thais would have driven past with no helmet, no license, etc.........

Interestingly enough, on my last visit, I was stopped by a policeman and after showing him my Philippines drivers license, all good, thank you. 

I have a document stating that ALL ASEAN nations accept each others licenses, downloaded on the net 

[Ulic]

The solution (I believe) for the rental companies may be the electric scooter. No need for a license in most countries where the tourists are from. Speed limited to 70 kph, Range of about 80Km. That should suit the needs of most tourists. Hotels could both rent bikes and provide/charge for overnight charging. Of course, would still be involved in accidents but they would not be breaking the limitations/restrictions of their travel insurance. Just a thought.

[Ulic]

2 hours ago, connda said:

To be completely legal you'd need to have a valid driver's license with a motorcycle endorsement and an International Driver's Permit.  My guess is they'll forgo the motorcycle endorsement (the important part) and go with just a valid license and IDP.  The IDP is what most tourist don't have, well, that and any experience actually driving a motorcycle.  I've seen tourists in Pai.  It's scary, but Pai traffic isn't quite like driving in Chiang Mai or Bangkok.  It's a little more forgiving, and imho the foreign motorcyclists are a whole lot scarier than the average Thai drivers.

Technically you do not need an IDP if your driver's license is in English. That is what Thailand has agreed to according to international driving conventions they have agreed to and endorsed. That is because Thai police are supposed to be literate enough in English to ascertain whether you have a motorcycle endorsement on your license. Of course, this is not true for probably 99% of police. Police carry with them a copy of the IDP (which incidentally does not have a Thai language translation) and where it has to be stamped to show you have a motorcycle endorsement. As long as your IDP is stamped in the appropriate squares you are good to go.

[baansgr]

A figure bandied about Pattaya Soi 9 station is an average daily take of 170,000 Baht in motoring fines, thats over 5 mil a month.....why not try and get more

[Torrens54]

8 hours ago, Nice Boyd said:

There are Motorbike and scooters all over the city of San Francisco, thst you rent remotely No License, Required, what’s the Big Deal 

Well there is no reason that Thailand should follow the IMBECILES  of San Francisco.

Without a valid MDL they will not be covered by  Insurance, thus, neither the rider/driver OR ANYONE THEY HIT Will be covered by Insurance.

So how does that grab you ?

 

Some fool who shouldn’t be riding/driving demolishes you and/ or your property, they have NO INSURANCE... you’re going to try and take them to court for compensation ?

GOOD LUCK SCHMUCK !

[NamKangMan]

7 hours ago, jethro69 said:

In fact I was given back the national license all the times without any checking. They had only looked at the international one, and it didn't appear that police was knowing what to check.

More interesting would be if you covered insurance-wise without a Thai DL?

 

"More interesting would be if you covered insurance-wise without a Thai DL?" - you are covered because you are riding here legally, as in, you are licensed, under the convention.

 

Now, if you are speeding, drunk, no helmet, negligent etc, that may see your insurance void. 

[NamKangMan]

5 hours ago, xylophone said:

And if they don't have one they shouldn't be allowed to hire a bike......simple as that. Why on earth would you consider it safe to let untrained idiots drive on roads when they come on holiday?

 

Can't do it in their own countries but can practise here and poss kill or maim someone.....absolute madness.

 

"And if they don't have one they shouldn't be allowed to hire a bike.." - I agree.  Trouble is, with the transport "situation" on Phuket, those who can not hire a motorbike, due to not being licensed, which may not necessarily mean that they can't ride a motorbike, may not come to Phuket at all. 

 

200 baht a day to hire a motorbike for 24 hours, versus 200 baht just to get into a tuk-tuk. 

[martinhp]

22 hours ago, Thaiwrath said:

I think valid insurance, by both the rental operators and the renters themselves, should also be mandatory, and checked for. 

who will offer such an insurance for rental bikes you cant even get it for your own bike if its not big enough cc

[martinhp]

16 hours ago, Maejo Man said:

The big deal is that in Chiangmai one in ten fatalities involving bikes is a foreigner. The majority of these involve hired bikes!

its not like that on phuket, here they check for licence but its more like a harassment .

and it works, less are hirering bikes,but thats the only thing it helps on.

accident are on the rise ,more under age thais are racing around with out knowledge or competence .

from now on to about after april the majority here is farlang 

the superior amount of accident are thais only ,cars as well as bikes.

 so this particlar move is only harassment ,its very little to do with safety ,as i see it and in the light of the safety issue not a big deal.

but in the eyes turist, and me too, just add to the incompetence of the leadership in the police .

and sure, if im right ,they can see this kind of harassment in the arrival numbers, same like when they removed the beach chairs.

ill say better they arrange course in bike riding for newly arrived turist if they like to ride bike on there holiday ,and have no licence .

i think half a day ,if the hereafter not licenced turist rent a bike, the police can fine and do what they think is appropriate .

the unlicenced turist may be not attend or not pass.

and then do something about the underage kids .

and stop the thais there obviously does not understand the traffic rules.

take there bike/car and give it back when the pass a test ,no money.

i do not believe in fines, i think its not a mean use for lack of education ,as to insure safety for gest arriving to a country.Only for the sake of money .

no matter this idea is good or bad ,fines should be reevaluated into something more constructive in my opinion 

[Benmart]

On 11/17/2018 at 3:49 PM, YetAnother said:

another case of expats complaining about actual tourists who are on holiday and who have left all responsibility at the airport

True. The unlicensed, uninsured scooter drivet thats runs someone over or crashes into a car is on my mind, as I drive everyday through a river of nuts on two-wheels; both foreign and domestic.

[geriatrickid]

On 11/17/2018 at 6:04 PM, Thaiwrath said:

I think valid insurance, by both the rental operators and the renters themselves, should also be mandatory, and checked for. 

How do you expect foreign tourists to obtain moto insurance? it is impossible for them to secure their own coverage. They must rely on the insurance option provided the moto rental agency.

Most of the agencies are operating illegally because;

1. They do not have business licenses for their activity;

2. If they do have a business license, are not  complying with the terms and conditions of their license and;

3. Occupy parking spaces illegally monopolizing parking areas intended for the public, but staking out their zones. As has been documented for the past decade in TVF these thugs threaten anyone who dares to park in the area they claim.

[xylophone]

3 hours ago, martinhp said:

its not like that on phuket, here they check for licence but its more like a harassment

Harassment for the sake of collecting revenue only...…….nothing to do with safety at all. 

[NamKangMan]

 

Due to the transport "situation" on Phuket, EVERYONE needs access to a vehicle here, or you are at the mercy of the transport mafia.  Hence, Phuket Province has the highest road deaths in Thailand, and Thailand is near the top of the list for road deaths in the world, thus, Phuket has has some of the most dangerous roads in the world, if not the most dangerous.

 

For the above reason, the many motorbike hire shops exist here due to such a high demand by tourists. 

 

If Phuket had proper public transport, the demand to hire a motorbike would go down, way down, and authorities would not need to worry about the supply side from the shops. 

[Redline]

16 hours ago, xylophone said:

And if they don't have one they shouldn't be allowed to hire a bike......simple as that. Why on earth would you consider it safe to let untrained idiots drive on roads when they come on holiday?

 

Can't do it in their own countries but can practise here and poss kill or maim someone.....absolute madness.

It won’t be stopped.  Thai motorbike drivers are very bad, and many have no license 

Edited November 19, 2018 by Redline

[balo]

13 minutes ago, NamKangMan said:

If Phuket had proper public transport, the demand to hire a motorbike would go down, way down, and authorities would not need to worry about the supply side from the shops. 

I agree , in Pattaya we have the 10 baht baht bus system and it works very well . But still plenty of accidents on the roads, mostly involving Thais.