maybe if they actually went out on the roads and pulled over all those committing offences instead of hiding in air conditioned offices and taking tea money we would see an improvement

The problem is that police rely 100% on cameras to detect moving traffic offences and a considerable number of DUI detections are post event (after an accident) - there is no such a thing as prevention or random detection - proactive policing 

 

A check point prevents nothing - the only positive from checkpoints is detecting drunk drivers and little else but it obviously isn't working because it is not done with any conviction, go to a nightclub carpark or an area of pubs and there will be hundreds of cars and motorbikes parked that people routinely use to drive home, there are no police to be seen on the roads after 1am.

 

People can drive around during the day breaking the law in full view of police and they do nothing.

 

 

1 hour ago, colinneil said:

Police discuss harsher driving offence penalties...... Shock horror.

Total waste of time, the lazy bar stewards dont enforce current penalties, so why bother with harsher ones?

A green light to ask for bigger donations from the offenders. A pay rise so to speak.

I've had discussions before

1 minute ago, mikebell said:

An oft-quoted figure is that 92% of these tickets are never paid so increasing the fine just means the cost of a bribe goes up.  I got a ticket for going through an amber light last year.  In the UK this is not illegal.  I paid up and the policeman seemed pathetically grateful for my contribution.  What's the penalty for going through a red light outside two police stations on Suk in Pattaya?  I count six offenders per change of colour.  

Was driving through Chantaburi, on Sukhumvit, a friend on holiday was driving the car. Came across a set of lights on red. Waited ages, no other traffic on the road and no sign of the lights changing. Decided to risk it and went through on red. A few hundred yards later, a gaggle of coppers guided us onto some waste ground at the side of the road, to join dozens of Thais on bikes. It was obvious that the police had fixed the lights on red to collect their monthly bonus.

 

My wife went with my friend to a desk that had been set up and the copper examined his IDP (which my friend had altered because it was out of date) no problem. He was told that he was being fined 400 baht and being issued a ticket. My wife pleaded his case and the fine was reduced to 250 baht (no ticket) which my friend threw into a large cardboard box at the side of the copper and we were on our way.

 

This is Thailand, I love it and love it's unique ways, I hope that it never changes.

2 hours ago, webfact said:

“abetted the wrongdoing”,

That  will include the premises and person where the alcohol was  sold the govt who take some tax on that, the car manufacturers for providing the transport  means etc etc then?

At the end of their discussion they will have a discussion on the time and place for the next discussion on harsher driving offence penalties. And so on...

1 hour ago, 4MyEgo said:

Major failure, why hadn't the police gone around to his place, cancelled his licence, put him in jail, heads must roll, start sacking the cops who sit idol from the top to the bottom, bring in the army and start afresh, fines, jail time, no excuses, get tuff like in other countries, this is laughable, and probably just scratching the surface of the BIGGER problem out there.

It is no use discussing harsher measures as the Thai's in general don't give two hoots about the current laws as they know a quick wai and they are off scott free, the majority don't bother paying fines and the police come out with ridiculous statements like they only get fines they can afford to pay. No deterrent, No proper policing results in no one caring what the police or laws say, things have been let slide for so long that no-one cares, one only has to go past one of the Thai bars which are just turning out at 05:50 to 06:00hrs and watch all the drunken Thai's climbing onto motorbikes and weaving down the road making as much noise as possible, what is done about this - You guessed NOTHING...!!!!

How can you give points when so many do not have a driving licence etc!

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3 minutes ago, Geoffggi said:

It is no use discussing harsher measures as the Thai's in general don't give two hoots about the current laws as they know a quick wai and they are off scott free, the majority don't bother paying fines and the police come out with ridiculous statements like they only get fines they can afford to pay. No deterrent, No proper policing results in no one caring what the police or laws say, things have been let slide for so long that no-one cares, one only has to go past one of the Thai bars which are just turning out at 05:50 to 06:00hrs and watch all the drunken Thai's climbing onto motorbikes and weaving down the road making as much noise as possible, what is done about this - You guessed NOTHING...!!!!

Nothing happens because it's Thailand. Enjoy.

 

An oft repeated argument on TV is that Thais are treated more leniently than farangs. Ask a Thai and they will say the opposite. It's all about perspective. For me, I would say that I am treated the same as Thais, if not better. However, I always play the stupid farang and have the coppers in stitches. Works for me.

"There are calls for harsher punishments in line with the Japanese model that penalises both the drink-driver and any passenger who “abetted the wrongdoing”, said Maj-General Ekkarak Limsangkatt, a member of the committee reviewing of traffic-law enforcement."

 

Worked in Tokyo for two years and the Japanese coppers are on the ball. You don't mess with them. The big thing about Japan is that they're a disciplined society, this is partly because of a system of strong deterrents and enforcement of them. You can hardly call Thais disciplined. Until the govt here realises that you need harsh punishments for offences and a completely rehashed police force to catch and prosecute the offenders, things aren't going to change. It goes without saying that they also have to stop the "tea money" culture to get anything off the ground.

1 hour ago, flyingtlger said:

Mo money, mo money, mo money......The cops are licking their chops!!!

 

IMO the cops should have more money, but not the kind in the photo. One reason they take payments roadside is because of their piss-poor salaries. They need to raise the bar. Better salaries mean EARNING better pay: more enforcement, stricter controls, better training, a higher level of professionalism.

Damn the roads

5 minutes ago, jesimps said:

The big thing about Japan is that they're a disciplined society, this is partly because of a system of strong deterrents and enforcement of them.

No its because the way their children are raised and the nature of their society. They dont even really need penalties (except for murder and the like). A normal Japanese doesnt break the rules.

Weve all discussed stuff. I discuss such things with my wife frequently but why dont my discussions end up as news? I think it would have equal effect.

Its Time to enforce stuff too perhaps?

38 minutes ago, Prairieboy said:

I got a ticket for driving through an intersection when the light was flashing green - before it turned amber.  I paid since there was a distinct language barrier so any discussion would have been a waste of breath! 

Exactly,it’s just a 200 baht local tax- have it ready by the time he approaches the window. No discussion required 

Don't do something, which waste the public's time.

2 hours ago, webfact said:

Among those ticketed was the driver of a cargo truck who received no less than 144 tickets in a single year

Wow! 

2 hours ago, webfact said:

Among those ticketed was the driver of a cargo truck who received no less than 144 tickets in a single year

I think that must be grossly overstated.

I think the police have got enough laws to ignore as it is !

2 hours ago, webfact said:

Police discuss harsher driving offence penalties

How about the education department discuss passing mandatory driver education course or no graduation and issuance of driver license.

Discuss........talk is cheap.

4 minutes ago, Father Fintan Stack said:

There's no money in that though.

Yet...

I think 500 baht is plenty fine to pay for obstructing ambulance in traffic - what a messy place this has become

2 hours ago, colinneil said:

Police discuss harsher driving offence penalties...... Shock horror.

Total waste of time, the lazy bar stewards dont enforce current penalties, so why bother with harsher ones?

I agree. On any given day, on any given street/road you can see a multitude of violations, but no in brown to enforce them until you reach a corner where motorbikes are being pulled over (unless it's lunchtime or raining).

2 hours ago, colinneil said:

Police discuss harsher driving offence penalties...... Shock horror.

Total waste of time, the lazy bar stewards dont enforce current penalties, so why bother with harsher ones?

+1

hmmmm..... harsher would be 2 hand smacks and a “tsk...tsk” ?

You have a long long long way to go , you never learn , this is not the right way to solve this problem !!! It's a question of EDUCATION / INFORMATION !! You mus learn the peoples to take RESPONSIBILITY FOR THERE's behavor and RESPECT other peoples (you are not alone on the road) Try to learn the next generation to stop this deep siikness of PROUDNESS AND JEALOUSNESS and take RESPONSIBILITY OF YOUR OWN BEHAVOR and be HONEST WITH RESPECT !!!!!!!

 

Quote

Among those ticketed was the driver of a cargo truck who received no less than 144 tickets in a single year, for repeatedly speeding and failing to stay in the slow lane reserved for trucks. He was caught by traffic cameras. 

But maybe when the truck driver went to court he told the judge "failed brakes and/or a motorcycles cutting in front of him" was why he got issued the tickets.  Perfectly sound excuses explanations used in many traffic incidences. So, the judge voided the tickets.   That's my theory.

6 minutes ago, Chrisswe said:

You have a long long long way to go , you never learn , this is not the right way to solve this problem !!! It's a question of EDUCATION / INFORMATION !! You mus learn the peoples to take RESPONSIBILITY FOR THERE's behavor and RESPECT other peoples (you are not alone on the road) Try to learn the next generation to stop this deep siikness of PROUDNESS AND JEALOUSNESS and take RESPONSIBILITY OF YOUR OWN BEHAVOR and be HONEST WITH RESPECT !!!!!!!

Nobody has respect for anyone here, they bow to their superiors and resent them and kick and bully anyone who is slightly inferior to them. 

Yes but there are some moronic laws like no rear foot pegs out on the motorcycle. How many points would something like that be? Or they would probably also rack u up if no license on you as forgot at home. If they really did enforce with points, there is going to be half or more of the country with no licenses. This is guaranteed. As I said before on the forum regarding this, a normal Thai driver on motorcycle and car would rack up probably 5 -10 each day and that are the ones they got caught doing.