2 friends have recently received traffic tickets in the mail for running red lights. The fine is 500 baht. The notice is accompanied by a series of photos making the infraction indisputable.

 

Today, I was at the intersection of Mahidol and the 2nd ring road. The cameras pointing in all directions are obvious, especially if your commute takes you that way on a daily basis. I was the first person to stop for the red light. 6 people ran it, 3 in each lane. Four people ran it from the next direction, six from the next and four from the next. So in one cycle, 20 people ran the light in front of the cameras, potentially generating 10,000 baht of revenue, and hundreds of thousands over the course of a day.

 

So what is happening?

 

It's new and drivers haven't woken up?

Nobody is paying the fines?

Thailand has the second highest accident rate in the world, now you know why.

 

I think govt has decided to act tough now. In the past, some Thai people disregard traffic rules.

 

This morning, I just saw 4 people (a family) on one small bike all without helmets.

500 baht is not enough should be 50k baht or a month in the monkey house ????

Odds are that if they don't pay, they won't be able to renew their registration, and get hit with an even larger fine and probable confiscation of the bike!

Can only hope (and I see this every day) that the red light-jumpers would be run down by a large truck.

45 minutes ago, Vacuum said:

Can only hope (and I see this every day) that the red light-jumpers would be run down by a large truck.

Most sensible people would like to see a reduction in the number of accidents and death on the roads.

 

You apparently don't subscribe to that!

 

3 hours ago, FolkGuitar said:

Odds are that if they don't pay, they won't be able to renew their registration, and get hit with an even larger fine and probable confiscation of the bike!

About a month back my Thai son mentioned it was on the evening news, there is a proposal to block everything if traffic fines are not paid: Licence renewal, road tax renewal, transfer of ownership of vehicles, renewal of ID card, changes to tabien baan books, registrations of business, and more.  

 

Maybe if implemented that could make folks pay.

 

A twist is that maybe I want to sell my car and I have a keen buyer but transfer of ownership can't happen because I haven't paid a traffic fine. Could perhaps make the keen buyer very pissed off and the buyer disappears. 

 

Or maybe I want to sell a car which is not a popular model therefore no folks / very few folks interested to buy. After a very long time I eventually find a buyer but the buyer withdraws and not heard from again when it's discovered it's impossible to transfer ownership because I didn't pay a traffic fine. 

 

 

Edited March 11, 20197 yr by scorecard

35 minutes ago, scorecard said:

Maybe I want to sell my car and I have a keen buyer but transfer of ownership can't happen because I haven't paid a traffic fine. Could perhaps make the keen buyer very pissed off and the buyer disappears. 

 

Or maybe I want to sell a car which is not a popular model therefore no folks / very few folks interested to buy. After a very long time I eventually find a buyer but the buyer withdraws and not heard from again when it's discovered it's impossible to transfer ownership because I didn't pay a traffic fine. 

 

 

Well, then "maybe" before you get into one of these transactions you go to the police station and pay the fine.

Geez....

Edited March 11, 20197 yr by bkk6060

It's happening at lights near Chiang Rai as well. My GF copped a 500 baht fine at the lights on the main drag at Wat Rong Khun

14 minutes ago, bkk6060 said:

Well, then "maybe" before you get into one of these transactions you go to the police station and pay the fine.

Geez....

Sure, that's an option.

Running red lights is bad dangerous for all.

Part of the problem comes from the Thai Idea that the Yellow light is a warning for stop, so they go into foot flat on floor mode.

I will suggest that the Thai Law on their highway code is basically a copy of UK's highway code.

In UK, Yellow(Amber) means STOP unless it's unsafe to do so. Red is Stop and Green is you may proceed if it is safe to do so and not GO.

Well educated Thais have told me that Red is stop when it becomes Blood Red, that is after about 3-4 seconds.

I split my time between my Car and Scooter.

Quite disturbing approaching a light on Green for experience has taught folk coming up behind are going for straight through.

The Yellow light is on for maybe 3 secs and Thai folk are going to go for it.

Yellow needs to be longer and folk need to learn to stop on Yellow.

 

john

20 minutes ago, bkk6060 said:

Well, then "maybe" before you get into one of these transactions you go to the police station and pay the fine.

Geez....

My thoughts exactly.

 

On Thai driving in general. Nothing will change until they stop talking and start doing.  Banning Vans? People riding in the back of pick ups?  All seems to have gone quiet now.

 

Anyone familiar with the pedestrian crossing/lights at the junction of Soi's 3 & 4 on Sukhumvit, Bangkok? Seen the taxis running the lights at that crossing when there are people on it - right in front of a police box. Nothing will change.

1 hour ago, jonwilly said:

Running red lights is bad dangerous for all.

Part of the problem comes from the Thai Idea that the Yellow light is a warning for stop, so they go into foot flat on floor mode.

I will suggest that the Thai Law on their highway code is basically a copy of UK's highway code.

In UK, Yellow(Amber) means STOP unless it's unsafe to do so. Red is Stop and Green is you may proceed if it is safe to do so and not GO.

Well educated Thais have told me that Red is stop when it becomes Blood Red, that is after about 3-4 seconds.

I split my time between my Car and Scooter.

Quite disturbing approaching a light on Green for experience has taught folk coming up behind are going for straight through.

The Yellow light is on for maybe 3 secs and Thai folk are going to go for it.

Yellow needs to be longer and folk need to learn to stop on Yellow.

 

john

Don't agree, IMHO if yellow is for a longer period it will just encourage a longer stream of cars to go for it.

 

On the other hand if yellow is only a very short time it may well encourage more divers to stop on yellow. 

 

"... yellow needs to be longer and folk need to learn to stop on Yellow. .."

So yellow for a longer period will teach people to stop in yellow. No logic in that.

 

 

Edited March 11, 20197 yr by scorecard

The Thai Law on traffic lights needs to be changed, to the UK system where yellow means STOP, unless it is Unsafe to do so.

The present system where the yellow lights are on very a very short time does not give drivers time to slow down and stop before the red light appears.

As you use the roads you will know that the largest number of crashes on the roads are at traffic lights as shown by the White 'Dead Man' painted on the road, the police draw around the wheels of cars and external shape of m/cycles.

Very logical really, if you think about it.

 

john

The laws don't need to be changed. The laws needs to be enforced.

Get a troop of cops out there, on the roads, stopping all vehicles that violate the highway codes. Fines on the spot, just as they do now at the checkpoints all over the city. Confiscation of vehicles. It obviously can be done. They are already doing it for motorbikes. They already have 'head hunters' who chase after the bikes that refuse to stop. I see them every day. No reason they can't do this for cars as well.

Edited March 12, 20197 yr by FolkGuitar

16 hours ago, EricTh said:

This morning, I just saw 4 people (a family) on one small bike all without helmets.

 

Nine (9) souls  is the most I've ever witnessed.

12 hours ago, jonwilly said:

stop on orange/redRunning red lights is bad dangerous for all.

Part of the problem comes from the Thai Idea that the Yellow light is a warning for stop, so they go into foot flat on floor mode.

I will suggest that the Thai Law on their highway code is basically a copy of UK's highway code.

In UK, Yellow(Amber) means STOP unless it's unsafe to do so. Red is Stop and Green is you may proceed if it is safe to do so and not GO.

Well educated Thais have told me that Red is stop when it becomes Blood Red, that is after about 3-4 seconds.

I split my time between my Car and Scooter.

Quite disturbing approaching a light on Green for experience has taught folk coming up behind are going for straight through.

The Yellow light is on for maybe 3 secs and Thai folk are going to go for it.

Yellow needs to be longer and folk need to learn to stop on Yellow.

 

john

And the most scary thing about that is when you conform with the law, and stop on orange/red here in Thailand - that it only takes a second to glance, nervously in your rear mirrors, (car or motorbike), to discover that the clown behind you - is not prepared to stop and has actually accelerated!

17 hours ago, FolkGuitar said:

Odds are that if they don't pay, they won't be able to renew their registration, and get hit with an even larger fine and probable confiscation of the bike!

Have had it easy for years in Thailand......Taiwan has had this fine/pics in mail for over 18 years and yes, no pay, no registration......and I believe you even pay interest on the fine after 2 months over notice!!  

500 Thb fine is not enough to discourage red light runners, 

higher fine and points on the license,at the lights,they turn 

green the vehicles go through slowly,amber/red they speed up

and and up to 6 cars run the red light.especially in the mornings,

going to work or school.

 

As the authorities see how much they can earn from traffic cameras,

you can expect more and more to be in operation,not sure if the real

motive will be as a deterrent,or a a money earner . 

 

regards worgeordie

13 hours ago, scorecard said:

About a month back my Thai son mentioned it was on the evening news, there is a proposal to block everything if traffic fines are not paid: Licence renewal, road tax renewal, transfer of ownership of vehicles, renewal of ID card, changes to tabien baan books, registrations of business, and more.  

 

Maybe if implemented that could make folks pay.

 

A twist is that maybe I want to sell my car and I have a keen buyer but transfer of ownership can't happen because I haven't paid a traffic fine. Could perhaps make the keen buyer very pissed off and the buyer disappears. 

 

Or maybe I want to sell a car which is not a popular model therefore no folks / very few folks interested to buy. After a very long time I eventually find a buyer but the buyer withdraws and not heard from again when it's discovered it's impossible to transfer ownership because I didn't pay a traffic fine. 

 

 

I think with the transfer of vehicles has been the case for many years,  we had to pay a fine in 2008 on a rental we transferred. Should Include everything as in your post

I used to wonder why I was always first at a red light but the clever Thais know I will be first away at green????

Edited March 12, 20197 yr by sammieuk1

17 hours ago, 007cableguy said:

500 baht is not enough should be 50k baht or a month in the monkey house ????

Sure they will throw the book at them

Camera tickets have been around for a couple of years now, but they seem to be multiplying quickly. Near my house in Bangkok, I received two tickets for crossing a solid line while changing lanes. There's two right turn only lanes at that intersection, and the solid lines start about 100 meters from the intersection. I paid my tickets and still use that intersection almost everyday. Every time I stop at that intersection, I see 3 or 4 cars that have crossed the solid lines to get into the right turn lanes. Which means 1500-2000 Baht every few minutes. I learned my lesson and now make sure I get into the right turn lanes before the solid lines begin. If you ask me, it's nothing but a trap, there's no reason to have the solid lines start that far back from the intersection.

"Civil Enforcement Officers" or Traffic Wardens as they were in UK.  Employ them here all over Thailand as a proper job. They have no bikes or cars just patrol all the streets. They have cameras and take photos of anything they see as a traffic violation: illegal parking, running red lights, failing to stop at a pedestrian crossing, inspecting cars for tax and insurance. The money made would be enormous and could be used to fund something desperately needed such as government pensions for the elderly, education, health inspectors, trash collection, tax inspectors. Fine-enforcing Collecting Offices in every town.

 

I am fed up of these constant threads regarding irresponsible driving that demonstrate clearly that the Government has no idea (at least in the 16 years I have lived here) about how to handle the culture of its own people!

17 hours ago, Vacuum said:

Can only hope (and I see this every day) that the red light-jumpers would be run down by a large truck.

I was on a main freeway coming to a controlled intersection and the light turned red.  I stopped.  As I stopped 2 tractor trailers, รถพ่วง , ran the light at high speed in the lane next to me.  If I had stopped in that lane I would have been run down by 2 large trucks.

17 hours ago, Moonlover said:

Most sensible people would like to see a reduction in the number of accidents and death on the roads.

 

You apparently don't subscribe to that!

 

If as he wishes ,the red light jumpers get mown down and killed by a large truck then that will have removed a significant aspect of the cause of further accidents and deaths,so there is logic to his desire

There was some discussion of linking the police ticketing database with the Land Transport Department's license and registration database.  Has this actually been done?

 

There are people who cross solid lines every day.  They are probably getting tickets and just binning them.  It is likely that some of these people will end up with 100 or 200 unpaid tickets with total fines of 50 - 100K! 

 

I predict that we will see hundreds of protestors, probably lead by taxi drivers, claiming that they cannot pay the fines and asking for the government to give them amnesty. ????

In my baan new cameras were set up at the lights and it was announced that the pics  would also be used to send evidence with fines to those not wearing helmets.

Within days our neighbour received a fine ( no helmet ).

Then another friend.

 

But after about 2 weeks the fines all stopped.

The given reason was that the local Police authority had run out of 'Fine Notification Forms ' and were awaiting more from Bangkok.

That was a year or so back and I havent heard of anyone getting a fine in the mail here since.

 

But years back , the Motor Registry wouldnt allow me to retax my car until I settled an unpaid fine ( that I didnt know I had ).

19 hours ago, Vacuum said:

Can only hope (and I see this every day) that the red light-jumpers would be run down by a large truck.

Who's running a red light also!

3 minutes ago, Darkside Gray said:

Who's running a red light also!

If so, the lights are malfunctioning.