Another Thai D-Day: Motorists must pay their traffic fines before being able to renew tax

[holy cow cm]

12 minutes ago, PETERTHEEATER said:

If following traffic laws is too onerous for you perhaps flying is the best option.

Actually I can pay the tickets no problem. No big deal. In reality if and when they make the point system to stick to you drivers record, then absolutely will fly every time. Normally do fly but on this occasion we needed the care in Bangkok to get a couple of animals and to go have r&d at the beach for two day.

 

And THAI traffic laws are in a sense contradictory to what they really should stand for.

[Benmart]

4 hours ago, holy cow cm said:

Just got 2 x 500 baht tickets in the mail from driving to BKK from CM. So many radar now it is almost better and cheaper just to fly and rent a car when visiting family there. Such a cash cow as everyone is getting them. Most places have a slow 90KM posted which doesn't do squat to save lives one bit. It is how they drive not exactly how fast if from 90km of 120km

Obeying the law is voluntary. Suffering the consequences is mandatory.

[holy cow cm]

7 minutes ago, Benmart said:

Obeying the law is voluntary. Suffering the consequences is mandatory.

Consequences are nothing. My new civic RS is a little race horse that needs to breathe. 

[geoffbezoz]

4 hours ago, jackdd said:

So in the future many people will decide to not pay the tax anymore, and this probably also means they will not pay for compulsary insurance, which means a higher burden on government hospitals.

Especially motorbikes might decide to just take off their license plates.

Well around my way very few have license plates on in the first place so no worries there.

 

[Khun Paul]

Well I got two tickets for a Car I do not own ( never have ) but with the right address, as I was passing handed it into the local city Police station, who told me not their problem, well it was not mine and left them there on the desk . Their faces were wonderful to see. 

 

[Andycoops]

5 hours ago, darksidedog said:

I am not sure how this threat is supposed to work given that large numbers of them don't bother to pay their road tax now. Many will view it as even more money saved by not paying any of it.

Correct.

In the bush nobody sees a policeman from one year to the next so all vehicles or motorcycles that don't travel into town 

pay absolutely nothing apart from fuel. 

[dave moir]

4 hours ago, NanLaew said:

And thus the popular western myth that speed cameras are just for making money and have nothing to do with road safety finally comes to Thailand.

 

Here's a clue; if one doesn't break the speed limit, one doesn't get a speeding ticket.

 

Of course we all know that farang drivers are much safer when breaking the speed limit than the locals are.

Touch of sarcasm! The majority of westerners are better drivers at speed and safer drivers than Thais as westerners take proper driving lessons and a proper test not like Thailand!

80/90 kph on dual carriage ways is living in 30's and should be brought up to current standards! Sticking to such slow speeds makes people more tired as it tends to be monotonous and you stop concentrating!

[The Fugitive]

8 minutes ago, Andycoops said:

Correct.

In the bush nobody sees a policeman from one year to the next so all vehicles or motorcycles that don't travel into town 

pay absolutely nothing apart from fuel. 

True. Thai's know the routes and towns where police operate. Traffic police seem to be very much 'creature's of habit'.

[dallen52]

Its going to rain baht.

Approximately 800,000 unpaid fines annually. 

So rumour has it.

 

And it's all Thais. 

(Farang pay tea money on the spot)

 

I just read the editorial and it says 5.3 million unpaid fines this year.

 

Its truly going to be a golden downpour (shower).

[malcoml]

6 hours ago, holy cow cm said:

Just got 2 x 500 baht tickets in the mail from driving to BKK from CM. So many radar now it is almost better and cheaper just to fly and rent a car when visiting family there. Such a cash cow as everyone is getting them. Most places have a slow 90KM posted which doesn't do squat to save lives one bit. It is how they drive not exactly how fast if from 90km of 120km

So how fast were you going exactly?

[dallen52]

6 hours ago, darksidedog said:

I am not sure how this threat is supposed to work given that large numbers of them don't bother to pay their road tax now. Many will view it as even more money saved by not paying any of it.

Would make sense to also gave to produce your driving license when renewing the vehicle too..

 

Oops, I forgot. 

This Is Thailand. 

[Sir Swagman]

6 hours ago, holy cow cm said:

Just got 2 x 500 baht tickets in the mail from driving to BKK from CM. So many radar now it is almost better and cheaper just to fly and rent a car when visiting family there. Such a cash cow as everyone is getting them. Most places have a slow 90KM posted which doesn't do squat to save lives one bit. It is how they drive not exactly how fast if from 90km of 120km

The blanket speed limit of 90 on this route is a PITA. Some stretches should be 120, others below 90. It adds at least an hour of driving to the trip. 

[Ireland32]

Welcome to the 21st Century

[dotpoom]

7 hours ago, Sticky Wicket said:

A lot happening on July 1st!

What else....do tell?..(fear of missing out).

[Stevemercer]

A lot of us are attracted to Thailand because it doesn't have the rules and regulations of the 'Nanny States' we come from (or at least they are enforced slackly). It would be a shame if Thailand ends up just as bad.

 

I'm always surprised by the number of expats on TV who actually support more rules, regulations and loss of freedom. Surely you can get that in spades back in your home country?

[dallen52]

36 minutes ago, malcoml said:

So how fast were you going exactly?

Unlike other countries, nothing is ever said about the accuracy of the speed cameras..

 

But if nobody pays the fines.

Mai bpen rai. 

[HiSoLowSoNoSo]

2 hours ago, from the home of CC said:

just a matter of time till it's linked up with immigration, then it'll be pay the fine or go home...

Or airport detention cell before pay up. 

[pi2005ni]

This is not a new rule it’s been happening for years , now it’s starting to be enforced. Don’t break the traffic laws and you won’t get a fine , it’s pretty easy to understand .

[Chongalulu]

6 hours ago, NanLaew said:

And thus the popular western myth that speed cameras are just for making money and have nothing to do with road safety finally comes to Thailand.

 

Here's a clue; if one doesn't break the speed limit, one doesn't get a speeding ticket.

 

Of course we all know that farang drivers are much safer when breaking the speed limit than the locals are.

Farang drivers ,blindfold and drunk would be much safer than any sober Thai driver

[OnTheRun]

6 hours ago, NanLaew said:

And thus the popular western myth that speed cameras are just for making money and have nothing to do with road safety finally comes to Thailand.

 

Here's a clue; if one doesn't break the speed limit, one doesn't get a speeding ticket.

 

Of course we all know that farang drivers are much safer when breaking the speed limit than the locals are.

90kph is a very low speed limit that does nothing to reduce accidents, binning U turns might make a difference.

[holy cow cm]

1 hour ago, malcoml said:

So how fast were you going exactly?

130 in a 120 zone. I had my family in the car. Wife on way back got one for 121 in a 90

[holy cow cm]

1 hour ago, Sir Swagman said:

The blanket speed limit of 90 on this route is a PITA. Some stretches should be 120, others below 90. It adds at least an hour of driving to the trip. 

120 needs to be the norm. It is like a brake and gas pedal jerk the whole way. 

[ocddave]

They need to be able to impound the vehicles when caught, then have a system in place where the fines/tow/storage eventually allow the government to confiscate the vehicle when it reaches its market value and then sell the car at auction. Doing this will help put an end to the racking up of fines that never get paid, otherwise whats the worse they can do, fine you again? The whole system from enforcement, to fines, to points, to warrants for arrest, etc needs to be well thought out ahead of time, so they all work together, thus putting an end to some of the carnage on the roads, and the blatant disregard for laws/rules/regulations.

[TEFLKrabi]

Asking for a friend......say you renewed your tax a few months ago and nothing was said, does that mean any fines from before then are now invalid? Just asking........

[Samuel Smith]

4 minutes ago, holy cow cm said:

120 needs to be the norm. It is like a brake and gas pedal jerk the whole way. 

Mostly agree, but in towns needs to be lower  - highway passes through built up areas with traffic lights etc.

 

The weird limits are on rural roads, where 90 is the limit.  For example on 1013 heading west from Mae waeng on the back road to Inthanon.  Way too high.  speed limits in Thailand need a major overhaul!

[ocddave]

9 minutes ago, Samuel Smith said:

Mostly agree, but in towns needs to be lower  - highway passes through built up areas with traffic lights etc.

 

The weird limits are on rural roads, where 90 is the limit.  For example on 1013 heading west from Mae waeng on the back road to Inthanon.  Way too high.  speed limits in Thailand need a major overhaul!

Thai's don't care about road signs, especially speed signs, my whole road is loaded with speed bumps, yet the Thai's go into the gutter lane and do triple the speed limit around the speed bump (Pure Insanity!), thats with cars trying to enter the road side from gated communities. The highway here has lighted signs that tell you a lane is down because of an accident or disabled vehicle, what do they do when that lane clears a little from people who noticed and moved over? They fly into that lane at 120-160kph, I have seen this even with and accident being cleared in the emergency lane, I assume these people are brain dead, who in their right mind would attempt this? Oh, thats right a Thai driver with the IQ of a jungle monkey, doesn't seem to matter if they are driving a Mercedes/BMW or an econo car, just idiots without brains behind the wheel.

[cracker1]

"The system - that still has a few minor glitches to iron out"

I'll bet it does !

[ben2talk]

2 hours ago, Samuel Smith said:

Mostly agree, but in towns needs to be lower - highway passes through built up areas with traffic lights etc.

 

The weird limits are on rural roads, where 90 is the limit. For example on 1013 heading west from Mae waeng on the back road to Inthanon. Way too high. speed limits in Thailand need a major overhaul!

There's just little consistency or planning overall. Signs are not standardised and pretty randomly placed so that most people are generally unaware of speed limits anyway.

 

Until there's an active traffic police division that goes out and stops drivers not displaying proper tax disks there'll be a continuation of the big joke that is Thai traffic.

[Nong Khai Man]

11 hours ago, ThreeEyedRaven said:

I somehow suspect there will be a similar number of unpaid road tax before the end of the year then. Whatever else will they come up with? They will be insisting everyone get a driving licence next.

They will be insisting everyone get a driving licence next......Now Wouldn't THAT Be a GOOD Idea ??

[wazzupnow]

maybe ask them to show a valid driver license too, or is that too much to ask??