Police cannot confiscate driver’s licences when issuing tickets, starting September 20

 

 

Starting from September 20, motorists and motorcyclists across the country will no longer face having their driver’s licences confiscated by police when being issued tickets at checkpoints or during pull-overs, under a new regulation.

 

Motorists will also be able to choose the option of producing their electronic licences as shown in phone applications, or a temporary permit issued by the Land Transportation Department (LTD), rather than have to produce a driver’s licence.

 

Traffic policemen will no longer be allowed to seize the paper licences. They will be limited to recording their warning given to a motorist and processing the records for the traffic police headquarters and the LTD office.

 

Deputy police spokesperson Pol Colonel Krissana Phatthanacharoen said that those motorists cautioned for violating traffic laws would, however, have to promptly pay the fines at the police stations, or they would face a five-fold increase in the penalties within a time frame.

 

And starting from December 19, violators would face deductions of points, which would lead to severe penalties or even suspension of their licences. This is a new idea for dealing with repeat or bad drivers with sufficient income to not mind paying expensive fines.

 

The office also commented on a demand submitted to the prime minister by an advocacy group asking for postponement of the new measures. The changes should have been put in place a long time ago, retorted the officer.

Krissana also echoed a call from police chief Jakthip Chaijinda, in which he asked motorists to film traffic police who abused their power or who tried to demand bribes at checkpoints or during pull-overs.

 

Source: https://www.nationthailand.com/news/30375505

 

-- © Copyright The Nation Thailand 2019-08-28

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3 minutes ago, Jonathan Fairfield said:

driver’s licences confiscated by police

Does the police also know that they are not allowed to do that from september 20?

A perfectly reasonable plan for a perfectly reasonable set of regulations.

 

As with all other laws and regulations in Thailand, the only issue is the implementation in an inherently corrupt system.  

Can they take Thai ID cards?

No - Just let em ride off without their helmets. Too stupid to use them anyway, even in the rain!

Take their guns away too! Ridiculous rule.

that means all the people who don,t have a license when they are pulled over have nothing to worry about

Foreigner passports?

5 minutes ago, Destiny1990 said:

Foreigner passports?

Don't carry it nor photocopy, none of their business who I am. 

So what about us foreigners , I have the problem in KoH Chang that if I want to rent a bike they want my passport- No Way , so they want my Australian driver licence which only leaves me with my international licence , try explaining that to the Thai police as they want to see both !

Come September 20 I can go back out on the roads without being hassled by the tea money brigade?

55 minutes ago, Colabamumbai said:

Don't carry it nor photocopy, none of their business who I am. 

thats against the law

 

54 minutes ago, darrenr said:

So what about us foreigners , I have the problem in KoH Chang that if I want to rent a bike they want my passport- No Way , so they want my Australian driver licence which only leaves me with my international licence , try explaining that to the Thai police as they want to see both !

You must be new to Thailand. They simply keep asking for something until you can’t give it to them so they can simply fine you. If it wasn’t a license they would find something else even if it was dreamed up. It’s simply a tool to extract funds from a tourist and forms part of their pay package. I would imagine on Koh Chang the resident farang population is tiny compared with the tourist population so they can get away with such shenanigans relatively unnoticed. It was like that for years in Phuket and probably still occurs in place but in Patong if I simply produce my UK license it’s completely accepted and I am on my merry way.

Very good news. What about us foreigners? Are we allowed to shouts and yelling at the police when pull- over?

13 hours ago, Jonathan Fairfield said:

Starting from September 20, motorists and motorcyclists across the country will no longer face having their driver’s licences confiscated by police when being issued tickets at checkpoints or during pull-overs, under a new regulation.

And if they don't issue tickets!  What will be the choice of scenarios?

Taking your license was a good money maker for RTP, a ticket for anything the RTP could think of and you had to drive to the Police Station to pay the fine and retrieve your license regardless of how far away it was from home or Bt1,000 cash for the express service with no receipt. A new scam will be on the way.

1 hour ago, legend49 said:

Come September 20 I can go back out on the roads without being hassled by the tea money brigade?

Wont change a thing, they will just take bribes in exchange for not deducting points..

32 minutes ago, Moti24 said:

And if they don't issue tickets!  What will be the choice of scenarios?

Pay the on-the-spot-fine (bribe) and walk away... no ticket, no points !

The corruption will always find a way to abuse the system & law !

Most drivers don't have a licence anyway !!

Repeat news ????

Make sure you have a visible dashcam or helmetcam and see how quickly you are directed to pass the checkpoint. The cops hate them, I wonder why...............?

I WONDER IF THE POLICE ARE AWARE OF THIS ?????????????????????

They'll probably start confiscating the TM30 receipts from farangs instead, make them go and file another TM30 report at a crowded Immigration office, a far worse punishment than having to go and pay a fine and pick up your licence at a cop shop.

2 hours ago, Colabamumbai said:

Don't carry it nor photocopy, none of their business who I am. 

Think you’ll find that’s not correct, but good luck if that’s your modus operandi.

14 hours ago, RotMahKid said:

Does the police also know that they are not allowed to do that from september 20?

good question....

LOL, they can't take your license but they sure can take your money!!!

 

I prefer they take my Thai Licence.  Otherwise they take the keys to my bike.

4 hours ago, Somtamnication said:

Take their guns away too! Ridiculous rule.

It probably won't help making the roads safer, but it does help to reduce corruption. Now the filth can't hold your licence as ransom to extort tea money on the spot. 

3 hours ago, Colabamumbai said:

Don't carry it nor photocopy, none of their business who I am. 

It is up the the individual to comply, resist or execise other options. The police have the business option to respond in kind, with the additional force of law as required. I subscribe to the easier approach of compliance and cooperation.

3 hours ago, darrenr said:

So what about us foreigners , I have the problem in KoH Chang that if I want to rent a bike they want my passport- No Way , so they want my Australian driver licence which only leaves me with my international licence , try explaining that to the Thai police as they want to see both !

Maybe you could buy yourself an electric scooter or cart? A number of people around here have them and they tell me that no license is needed.

 

However, that having been said, I will most likely try to get myself a Thai driver's license because I can use it to legally drive a motor vehicle in the state of California just as long as I can prove my legal residence is here in Thailand. (An International driver's license is not accepted in the state of California.)