Driving slowly in high-speed lane to soon become a punishable offence
By KHANITTHA THEPPHAJORN  

THE NATION

 

 

MOTORISTS driving at low speed in right-hand lanes will soon be subjected to fines, thanks to the National Legislative Assembly (NLA), giving a nod in principle to a draft law amending the Land Traffic Act yesterday. 

 

The proposed law will also allow the use of an electronic driver’s licence.

 

Police representative Pol Maj-General Ekkalak Limsankart also called for new regulations to be issued that are clear and can prevent violators from evading justice. 

 

He cited a section in the draft law that will ban drunk people from riding bicycles on public roads or face a Bt500 fine, which he said was a response to drunk cyclists who, despite being arrested, managed to evade conviction because the current drunk-driving law excludes cyclists.

 

NLA members in principle approved the draft amendment of the Land Traffic Act in its first reading with 157:0 votes, two abstentions and one failure to cast a vote. 

 

A special committee was subsequently set up to consider the draft law.

 

Before voting, NLA members offered several suggestions including measures to detect corruption in issuing tickets, a review of using CCTV images to issue tickets as some motorists claim they were not driving at the time of the offence and measures allowing officers’ discretion in case of such error. 

 

Many NLA members also called for motorists hogging the right-hand lane at low speed to be punished and for heavily loaded trucks to be kept off the right-hand lane. 

 

Traffic regulation 

 

Driving slowly in the right-hand lane poses a great risk of road accidents, especially when being overtaken from the left, the assembly heard. 

 

Ekkalak told the NLA meeting that a ministerial regulation was being written and is nearly ready that will make driving slowly on the right-hand lane a traffic offence.

 

He also said that many motorists ignored traffic tickets until their driving score drops so low that their driver’s licence needs to be suspended. 

 

Hence, he said, every motorist should be required to attend training on traffic regulations and must pass the exam to restore their scores. 

 

Also, forcing them to pay for the training will discourage motorists from repeating the offence, he added. As for a digital version of driving licences, Ekkalak said the draft law’s wording should be changed to allow the digital version to be legal or a regulation on such matter should be formulated and later sent for the Cabinet’s nod. The Department of Land Transport launched the digital licence app on January 15, but police have refused to accept it under the current law and continue imposing fines if motorists fail to present a physical licence. 

 

Ekkalak also suggested that, since a driving licence is mostly intended to identify the driver, it can be eliminated if the information is included in the smart national ID cards.

 

Source: http://www.nationmultimedia.com/detail/national/30362475

 

 

-- © Copyright The Nation 2018-01-18

 

 

 

What will be classed as slow. 10, 20,30, 40, or 50 over speed limit?

Like any Thai  gives a flying fig  about any rules................do  what you like rulebook  guys no one cares

Again... another response which misses the point... 

 

When on the highway / express way the left most lane is the driving lane... and other lane is an over taking lane.... enforce that and there will be fewer express way accidents with people under and over taking middle lane traffic.

 

There is a base logic in enforcing a minimum speed which should be set to maintain traffic flow and reduce 'passing speeds'.

 

But again... Its just a rule and as kannot wrote... who cares in the slightest about rules and regulations here..  the penalties are so minimal no one bats an eyelid.

 

 

 

On a recent expressway journey I exceeded the speed limit, I knew I was exceeding the speed limit (the expressway was very quiet)... I didn't care that I was exceeded the speed limit because the fines are so small, I also knew there was a likelihood I'd get caught by the camera's (I did !). My Road Taxi is due up soon, I'll see if I am forced to pay the 500 baht fine or not !!!... 

 

Until the fines are significant, the laws won't matter. 

More

I have been in one accident in my entire life. One accident in 40 years of driving.

 

The reason... some <deleted> was coming up behind me at about 110mph, I got over out of the fast lane. It was raining and the guy in the slow lane was a putt putt vehicle that was crawling. I am fully bearing responsibility for my own accident, but here i am just proclaiming the problem is people going to fast in the fast lane and expecting every damn driver in the world to roll out the red carpet and get out of their way (after flickering their brights).

 

Nothing makes me mash my teeth more. If you are heavily speeding in the fast lane and want people to get out of your way, <deleted> you. You are not in the right! 

37 minutes ago, richard_smith237 said:

Again... another response which misses the point... 

 

When on the highway / express way the left most lane is the driving lane... and other lane is an over taking lane.... enforce that and there will be fewer express way accidents with people under and over taking middle lane traffic.

 

There is a base logic in enforcing a minimum speed which should be set to maintain traffic flow and reduce 'passing speeds'.

 

But again... Its just a rule and as kannot wrote... who cares in the slightest about rules and regulations here..  the penalties are so minimal no one bats an eyelid.

 

 

 

On a recent expressway journey I exceeded the speed limit, I knew I was exceeding the speed limit (the expressway was very quiet)... I didn't care that I was exceeded the speed limit because the fines are so small, I also knew there was a likelihood I'd get caught by the camera's (I did !). My Road Taxi is due up soon, I'll see if I am forced to pay the 500 baht fine or not !!!... 

 

Until the fines are significant, the laws won't matter. 

the  worst  point  is  your  speeding  was  in  no  way  dangerous,  but  rules  are   rules

Driving slowly in any lane is hazardous and likely to cause an accident.  All drivers should proceed more quickly to their destination to eliminate patience.

31 minutes ago, kannot said:

the  worst  point  is  your  speeding  was  in  no  way  dangerous,  but  rules  are   rules

Agreed... and if the fine was 5000 baht instead of 500 baht I would not have exceeded the speed limit... 

 

 

 

22 minutes ago, survivalblue said:

Driving slowly in any lane is hazardous and likely to cause an accident.  All drivers should proceed more quickly to their destination to eliminate patience.

Indeed...  a few years ago I was in a Taxi on the Expressway... I wasn't sure if the old guy could see clearly, but he was traveling at about 50-60kmh in the centre lane of the expressway (It was too late to just stop him and get out and get another Taxi)... I had to persuade him to get over to the left hand side and try and speed up a bit as other drivers sped past.... it was about 2am so I was in fear of a drunk rear-ending the taxi... 

 

 

1 hour ago, Bruce Aussie Chiang Mai said:

What will be classed as slow. 10, 20,30, 40, or 50 over speed limit?

 

Exactly. Clueless at the top, clueless at the bottom.

Who cares a shit? Nobody is afraid of the law!

I was writing my two bobs worth about this article,and honestly I could go on and on and on about the Thai driving culture and how bad and dangerous it is.

But I decided to just accept its Thailand,no matter what I have to say won’t make any difference,thousands of people will needlessly die this yr on Thai roads,hopefully with the experience and common sense I have gained  from driving in a country that has strict driving laws I will survive.

48 minutes ago, Titan1962 said:

hopefully with the experience and common sense I have gained  from driving in a country that has strict driving laws I will survive.

 

I don't think your experience and common sense will prevent Somchai on yaba, running a red light in his 10 wheeler and, cleaning you up in the process...

You can do the best you can but at the end of the day, your fate might be in the hands of some untrained, uncaring local !!

8 hours ago, snoop1130 said:

He cited a section in the draft law that will ban drunk people from riding bicycles on public roads

typical thai, addressing the wrong things

8 hours ago, snoop1130 said:

one failure to cast a vote. 

He was too drunk to press the right button.

Well thats  me Buggered  top speed of my ride is 15 Ks.

This will all be forgotten in a few months, will not be enforced and make zero difference. 

 

As usual they're completely addressing things that will not make any difference, rather than actually putting in place a long term plan to reduce the shocking / embarrassing / scandalous road deaths. 

6 minutes ago, car720 said:

I have never understood this.  Maybe it is a European thing.  Don't roads have speed limit signs? 

Indeed they do, usually for maximum speed but under certain circumstances minimum speed.

 

UK ones look like this.

 

Maximum speeds:-

 

 

 

 

Minimum speeds:-

 

 

8 hours ago, utalkin2me said:

Nothing makes me mash my teeth more. If you are heavily speeding in the fast lane and want people to get out of your way, <deleted> you. You are not in the right! 

But most of the time this isn't the issue.

 

Coming up (at a legal 120kph) upon someone in the right hand lane doing 80 (or even less) is.

 

Try hogging outside or centre lanes in the UK and you'll get a fine (even if you are driving at the speed limit).

 

I really hope they enforce this, nothing worse than someone sitting in the fast lane with their cruise control set at 70 and refusing to move over, even worse when they know they are holding someone up behind them and they indicate right as if to say go around!! inconsiderate A-holes!!

9 hours ago, snoop1130 said:

because the current drunk-driving law excludes cyclists.

Now I know why there are suddenly so many cyclists about.

Welcome soon Thailand to the 21st century.

Except where you're required to drive slowly in the right lane, that is, when approaching a U-turn lane. I have to use them every time I drive in Chiang Mai. They often backup into the through (fast) lane, and I always wonder if this is the time I get rear-ended. Then there are the privileged drivers who are too good to line up for the U-turn lane, who go to the front and block the fast lane, further increasing the risk of rear-end collisions. What a system!

20 minutes ago, colinneil said:

Well thats  me Buggered  top speed of my ride is 15 Ks.

But what if you come across a ride that's only 10Ks? You won't be allowed to overtake now. ????

8 hours ago, utalkin2me said:

I have been in one accident in my entire life. One accident in 40 years of driving.

 

The reason... some <deleted> was coming up behind me at about 110mph, I got over out of the fast lane. It was raining and the guy in the slow lane was a putt putt vehicle that was crawling. I am fully bearing responsibility for my own accident, but here i am just proclaiming the problem is people going to fast in the fast lane and expecting every damn driver in the world to roll out the red carpet and get out of their way (after flickering their brights).

 

Nothing makes me mash my teeth more. If you are heavily speeding in the fast lane and want people to get out of your way, <deleted> you. You are not in the right! 

 

so... it was the driver behind you using his lights that stressed you and caused you to make a bad driving decision?

 

unless it's the police, people flashing their lights behind me don't cause me stress, they just have to wait until I'm done overtaking.

some people like to come very near, usually lighting up the brake lights sorts them out.

 

 

Edited January 18, 20197 yr by manarak

But, driving and passing on the shoulder - STILL OK! ????

9 hours ago, snoop1130 said:

a driving licence is mostly intended to identify the driver

And all these years I was under the impression that it was proof that you had the knowledge, skills and ability to operate the vehicle you were driving. 

So who's going to do the punishing then? the BIB? 

13 minutes ago, zyphodb said:

So who's going to do the punishing then? the BIB? 

No, they'll leave it someone far more capable.

This guy: