Police to target motorbike rental shops when renters are unlicensed

By The Thaiger

 

 

Police are targeting the rental operators of motorbikes when unlicensed foreigners have motorbike accidents.

 

Police today say they are questioning the renters of the bike involved in Sunday night’s crash on Patong Hill between a pickup truck driven by 47 year old Thavorn Glasueak and a motorbike carrying two Russians, a 29 and 31 year old.

 

This incident happened at the notorious hair-pin curve on the way up Patong Hill, from Kathu. Police say the motorbike veered out of its lane into the oncoming pickup truck travelling in the other lane.

 

Full story: https://thethaiger.com/news/phuket/police-to-target-motorbike-rental-shops-when-renters-are-unlicensed

 

-- © Copyright The Thaiger 2019-02-13

Minimal fines will NOT solve the problem.

It's time to enforce serious penalties to law breakers, to act as a deterrent to others.

26 minutes ago, webfact said:

Police are targeting the rental operators of motorbikes when unlicensed foreigners have motorbike accidents.

...for two weeks or until the subject disappears from the media spotlight, whichever happens first.

Another knee jerk reaction, get out there lads and make it look good, crack down hard on them,

Having to pay 2.000 baht fine, that will sort them out.

To collect fines after an incident?

Are they accepting licenses from any country ?  Are the renters able to identify a valid motorcycle license from any country ? Will a Blockbuster video membership card suffice ?

Just now, Soupdragon said:

Are they accepting licenses from any country ?  Are the renters able to identify a valid motorcycle license from any country ? Will a Blockbuster video membership card suffice ?

Only if it's VHS

6 minutes ago, Oziex1 said:

To collect fines after an incident?

Thats normally how it works here, Thais dont consider prevention first

1 hour ago, webfact said:

Police are targeting the rental operators of motorbikes when unlicensed foreigners have motorbike accidents.

so the takeaway here is that the accidents are the problem, not the profit-first rental operators putting us all at risk

They have been fining the bike shops around Nai Harn for a while

10 hours ago, Thaiwrath said:

Minimal fines will NOT solve the problem.

It's time to enforce serious penalties to law breakers, to act as a deterrent to others.

The penalties are serious enough. I remember 2000 THB for the first two offences, and on the third offence shop closed - which is harsh enough.

The problem is enforcement, difficult when the shop owner and the policeman are from the same village/area, possibly related, and have to live their lives when duty is finished.

8 hours ago, ChipButty said:

They have been fining the bike shops around Nai Harn for a while

Indeed this was also my understanding.

 

Anyway, there are some tourists who probably have a DL and yet drive like complete a...s.

Should always be.  No licence, no rental

Also asking for a International Driving Permit one place I know

So what about Sam Lors, motorbike with 'sidecar', untaxable, uninsurable , need licence to drive 3 wheel vehicle, and driving around Rayong with five fat torists in them ? Not a word said.

On 2/13/2019 at 6:36 AM, Soupdragon said:

Are they accepting licenses from any country ?

Are the renters able to identify a valid motorcycle license from any country ?

The only document they need to check is your International Driving Permit,

and it's a rather standard document, very similar for all countries.

1 hour ago, Pattaya46 said:

The only document they need to check is your International Driving Permit,

and it's a rather standard document, very similar for all countries.

There are quite a few issues with that.

 

First of all, there is no legal requirement, but of course the BiB are a force upon themselves.

Secondly, which version of the IDP?

On 2/13/2019 at 6:37 AM, ChipButty said:

Thats normally how it works here, Thais dont consider prevention first

Unless they now change the law and require the shops to make copies of drivers licenses before renting out a bike they can't do prevention. AFIK shops are NOT required to make those copies so they can't go for prevention. 

 

Anyway I am still amazed at foreigners who live here and can't be bothered to get a real Thai driving license. I know this is about tourists but a fairly large part of the expat population only has a license from their home country. That is not valid here if your here over 90 days.

 

On 2/13/2019 at 6:37 AM, ChipButty said:

Thats normally how it works here, Thais dont consider prevention first

Its not silly. every time a tourist gets pulled up for shakedown they make money and if no licence they fine the shop for more money

 

how else can it be policed? you cant fine the shop until they break the law

This is one of those Deja Vu threads. It's all been said before, at great length, and nothing ever really happens.

The dodgy renters are not going to refuse paying customers, nor are police going to upset the lucrative apple cart.

 

 

As usual it’s all about money. Shops want to rent even to unlicensed customers as they get income. Police want to stop unlicensed riders as they get income, now they’ve seen an additional income stream by fining the shops. Prevention gives no income.