Crackdown! Tourists in Pattaya face jail for riding motorcycles without a licence

[Jonathan Fairfield]

Crackdown! Tourists in Pattaya face jail for riding motorcycles without a licence

 

Image: Sophon Cable

 

The Pattaya police are coming down hard on tourists who rent motorcycles without a licence. 

 

They face a month in jail or a one thousand baht fine. 

 

Rental shops are also on the radar with fines up to 2,000 baht for anyone who rents to tourists who don't show a license. 

 

Pol Maj Arut Sathanon said he was following orders handed down from the RTP HQ that were being taken seriously by the new Pattaya chief Pol Col Prawit Chorseng. 

 

Patrols could be expected every night and shops were being inspected.

 

Sophon referred to "gangs of tourists" on noisy bikes touring around the resort annoying other road users, other tourists and residents. 

 

 

Thaivisa notes that it appears to be a response to an incident involving Arab tourists who were part of a large group driving around that led to the death of a female Russian tourist a few weeks back. 

 

Another serious accident just this morning saw two Thai students grievously injured in an accident with a tourist on a motorcycle. 

 

Pol Maj Arut said that all tourists must be in possession of an international driving licence (or other legal permit) to rent and ride a motorcycle at the resort. 

 

Offenders could face a month in jail and a fine up to 1,000 baht or both.

 

Shops renting bikes to tourists could face a fine of up to 2,000 baht for contravening the regulations. 

 

These were being strictly enforced, he said with no get out clause. 

 

The force is also cracking down on illegally adapted motorcycles and cars in the city. 

 

Source: Sophon Cable

 

-- © Copyright Thai Visa News 2019-07-10

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[BestB]

In the mean time , thai are allowed to ride and drive without a license with a 500 baht fine.

 

such measures needed to be introduced because it is foreigners who are the source of all road fatalities in Thailand????

 

Not knocking the decision just curious why same law does not apply to locals 

[petermik]

Face jail or 1000 baht fine.....10,000 baht would be more of a deterrent.....as for loud exhausts are they seriously suggesting it`s only tourists to blame.....the mind boggles here sometimes

[wendyfromoz]

what about the people who rent the bikes to unlicenced persons.  Why dont unlicenced thais get prison.

[visarunner]

beyond believe. Amazing Thailand. 

 

[Muayboy]

It should be 20,000bht Fine to the Rental companies for Not checking a licence, they will take a passport so the bike is safe, but not checking the licence, its like giving them a loaded gun and say get on with it.. most will Only get on a bike to save cash, as they are fed up of being ripped of by the Taxi drivers, so they will chance riding a bike. So Not the full blame on the tourist .

[sammieuk1]

Unless your rich and or connected the entire population faces jail for some misdemeanor or other????

[essox essox]

SURELY a tourist (or anybody in FACT) dould not be able to rent any vehicle IF THEY CAN NOT provide a driving licence....it is as simple as that!!!!

[essox essox]

9 minutes ago, wendyfromoz said:

what about the people who rent the bikes to unlicenced persons.  Why dont unlicenced thais get prison.

great question.......

[geoffbezoz]

14 minutes ago, BestB said:

In the mean time , thai are allowed to ride and drive without a license with a 500 baht fine.

 

such measures needed to be introduced because it is foreigners who are the source of all road fatalities in Thailand????

 

Not knocking the decision just curious why same law does not apply to locals 

Simply put they are such dumbsh$ts they honestly believe that fleecing the tourist (because they know a threat of jail will produce a big bung) is the road to short term income gains. They are a state sponsored mafia after all. The long term interests of the country are irrelevant to them, beyond their grasp.

[jacko45k]

Just tourists? How about locals?

 

[jacko45k]

19 minutes ago, petermik said:

.as for loud exhausts are they seriously suggesting it`s only tourists to blame..

Yes they always bring a Bosch drill in their suitcase to drill the appropriate holes!

[shackleton]

check whether its a tourist or Thai  if no license fine

then check if no insurance cover again fine  

[LazySlipper]

How about the primary school kids who also don't have a helmet? Or the teenagers also without a helmet.

 

In another post,

 

without wanting to be racist, lots of these guys riding around raising hell... doing no small favor to anyone...

[darksidedog]

That is going to piss the motorbike rental companies off no end, but at least we will be seeing fewer insurance companies skip out of paying hospital bills, as people will be properly licensed and legal on the roads.

[canopus1969]

Excellent news all round and the cream on the cake is Plod seems to be targeting Arabs ????

[expatfromwyoming]

Fair enough. 

[bristolgeoff]

pattaya police station by the beach bars/beach rd,just sit they and watch.everyday police wait and stop farangs for a license only,helmets maybe.thais maybe if no helmet.going on for years and tea money for the police.cm is no different regular check points same spot usually.i know them most times.in cm everyday by maya never fear license check.i have my helmet on license ready.they get the ones who rent a scooter back packers tourist.no license pay the fine just here good for 7 days.thks for the donations. the  one by maya was by the lights and now alittle further down but same area same time.if you go to Thailand  learn the rules and carry a international license.then the tea money says in your pocket

[Moti24]

Tourists shouldn't even held responsible; if they want to kill themselves, that's up to them. 

 

The rental companies should be held 100% responsible for injuries to any innocent parties, and be made to pay for hospital bills, funerals, and repairs to any damaged vehicles; if they have to sell their fleet and homes in order to pay, tough shit!  Perhaps then, they will all abide by the law, and not rent to the unlicenced tourists.

 

Meanwhile, unlicenced Thais need to be prosecuted, and have their vehicles crushed!

 

Being as the PM has decreed that the army and police will still have the authority to stop and search, they could be filling the courts on a daily basis.

 

Just my daily rant; usually to myself, but I've made my dogs wait for their walk while I share it with you.

[KhunKenAP]

Hope they add this bit of information to the TAT advertisements. That will help tourism.

[Anythingleft?]

From a little research I have come to the conclusion that the foreign mass in Thailand seems to be responsible for 100% of all crime here through direct action or influence

If the foreign hordes weren't here this place would be Utopia!!!!

No cheating, scamming, stealing, mongering or anything outside of the virtuous path that all Thais live. Until they become poisoned by outside influence of course

No wonder they hate us.........



Sent from my SM-N950F using Tapatalk

[Falcon]

2 hours ago, wendyfromoz said:

what about the people who rent the bikes to unlicenced persons.  Why dont unlicenced thais get prison.

 

1 hour ago, essox essox said:

great question.......

Not such a great question really when you think of it. The reason that unlicensed Thais aren’t threatened with prison time is simply because of the huge number of Thais driving around without licenses (both adults and children) and there wouldn’t be enough space in the jails in the whole of Thailand to accommodate them.

[ChipButty]

19 minutes ago, Falcon said:

 

Not such a great question really when you think of it. The reason that unlicensed Thais aren’t threatened with prison time is simply because of the huge number of Thais driving around without licenses (both adults and children) and there wouldn’t be enough space in the jails in the whole of Thailand to accommodate them.

Policeman said to me a long time ago, what's the point in fining them they dont have any money in Phuket where the fines are higher 

[ChipButty]

Fining the rental shops is not new around here, the one lady I know who has quiet a big rental company has been fined a couple of times in the early days 2000 Baht she doesn't rent now without all the doc's

[toenail]

Have you ever seen a Saudi or Kuwaiti drive back in their own country ( I unfortunately have had the experience) They arrogantly drive as they please since the police are afraid to arrest the delinquent Arab drivers since there is actually a “caste” system- depending what tribe you come from. They ignore speed limits in the city, tailgate you because Abdul is in a hurry to eat his chicken shawarma, common to drive through red traffic lights , drive on sidewalks and the narrow shoulder of an expressway and will park their car anywhere as if they’re riding a camel. I can see how this particular group would go “crazy” on rented motorcycles... For Westerners, alcohol isn’ a good mix with these “holiday toys” while buzzing around. 

[Traubert]

Conversation on my last visit earlier this year:

 

'Rent a bike Sir?'

 

"No thanks mate, I don't have the right license."

 

'No problem Sir, if you get stopped, keep the ticket and pay at the Police station last day. Much cheaper.'

 

I get around on the baht buses but then again I'm not a lairy 20 year-old.

[intherealworld]

Great to see the Tourists are the bad guys in Thailand.

Who would ever have thought that. 

 

Thailand keeping the tourists safe. 

Good job 

 

 

 

 

[intherealworld]

42 minutes ago, Falcon said:

 

Not such a great question really when you think of it. The reason that unlicensed Thais aren’t threatened with prison time is simply because of the huge number of Thais driving around without licenses (both adults and children) and there wouldn’t be enough space in the jails in the whole of Thailand to accommodate them.

Build more Prisons for them. 

[Chivas]

Make the fine 20,000 plus immediate cancellation of current visa ( with 24 hours to get out) and some may sit up and take notice

[Vacuum]

3 hours ago, geoffbezoz said:

Simply put they are such dumbsh$ts they honestly believe that fleecing the tourist (because they know a threat of jail will produce a big bung) is the road to short term income gains. They are a state sponsored mafia after all. The long term interests of the country are irrelevant to them, beyond their grasp.

I have to disagree with you. The "dumbsh$ts" are the tourists who for some reason think that they can ride bikes without a DL when they come to Thailand. They wouldn't do this 'at home', fine them heavily I say.