Saksayam backs down over mandatory GPS in private vehicles

[tom in bangkok]

4 hours ago, webfact said:

He claimed that modern GPS systems could help reduce road accidents by alerting drivers of the safe distance between their cars and the vehicles in front of them

This could be better solved by putting more stringent requirements to obtain a driver's license, reinforced by better policing of road laws.

 

Australia's system is annoyingly strict but at least a "what the f*** you idiot what are you doing?!" response is triggered by someone stopping at a traffic light too late and ending up a bit over the pedestrian crossing. In Thailand that moment is reserved for more egregious behaviour like driving in the wrong direction on a main road in a motorcycle or doing 160km/h in an 80 zone.

[Krataiboy]

They've probably just realised that compulsory GPS is surplus to requirements.  Once 5G and the Internet of Things arrives, none of us will even be able to fart, let alone drive somewhere, without Them knowing.

[hotchilli]

5 hours ago, webfact said:

Thailand’s Ministry of Transport has backed down over plans to mandate that all private cars and motorcycles be equipped with GPS devices, pending further study on real-time connectivity with the database of the Land Transport Department and the costs of that connectivity.

The only disconnect is with the ministry of Transport & the real world !

[randy723]

What happened? Did his sister sell her GPS business?

[animalmagic]

4 hours ago, smedly said:

what he is suggesting is possibly a good idea if applied to public transport vehicles only but there needs to be a specific purpose like speed monitoring 

But hasn't technology for that been available and in use for 40 years with the tachograph?

[observer90210]

Should start to put GPS in every police vehicle.....

[nervona81732]

BIG BROTHER is HERE!

[Oziex1]

"He claimed that modern GPS systems could help reduce road accidents by alerting drivers of the safe distance between their cars and the vehicles in front of them"

 

Good idea, it has been around for a while now. It is not managed by GPS it works by radar and is called Dynamic Cruise Control., when your cruise control is active your vehicle will stay a safe distance behind the vehicle in front and at the same speed.

[P100]

The idea was so stupid, it only could have been dropped. Who should watch car traffic in real time on monitors to determine speeding (or would they choose a handful of targets to watch them at all times?????). How to find the driver and deliver proof? Where to store immense amounts of data? Car theft? It could help find the car but theft is a private problem of the owner, he can put a GPS tracker any time he wants, why should it be mandatory? The real scope was to monitor all people, they wanted to always know who is where at what time. They seem to be very scared of the people.

Weapons and mass surveillance systems are the toys of choice of all police states and military governments lacking legitimacy.

Probably some Chinese business figures wanted to sell them this great idea from China ... Remember Xinjiang province?

[SOTIRIOS]

...too many people could then be held accountable...!!!....555...

[Artisi]

5 hours ago, wayned said:

IMHO, all delivery Companies should have mandatory GPS.  I live up country on a rural dirt road and if I order anything online and it is delivered by anybody but Kerry or Thai Post it's a real [problem.   Over the past 22 years I've had experiences with Kerry, Thai POst, CJGLS, DHL, NINJA, YUSEN and the latest TP LOGISTICS.  I send then emails with GPS coordinates, directions from the nearest main highway junction and a google Map and they still have the driver call when he gets in the area.  I speak a little Thai and the driver usually  speaks no English.  I usually manage to get them to the nearest Temple and meet them there, but if they had GPS all that they would have to do is put in the coordinates and they would get an instant map!

Use their smart phone, no need for anything else. 

[Artisi]

1 hour ago, observer90210 said:

Should start to put GPS in every police vehicle.....

Waste of time, they can always be located at the police station, nearest food outlet or outside their or their girl friends house. 

[Artisi]

1 hour ago, animalmagic said:

But hasn't technology for that been available and in use for 40 years with the tachograph?

Yeah, but not as smart and fancy as an electronic wiz-bang GPS, they even have pictures. 

[Chongalulu]

To stay with a vehicular analogy, government officials should be mindful to engage brain before putting mouth into gear....or perhaps more worryingly,they do...

[Chongalulu]

2 hours ago, Krataiboy said:

They've probably just realised that compulsory GPS is surplus to requirements.  Once 5G and the Internet of Things arrives, none of us will even be able to fart, let alone drive somewhere, without Them knowing.

Given my diet,when I fart everyone within a 50 metre radius knows! ???? 

[hugocnx]

5 hours ago, wayned said:

IMHO, all delivery Companies should have mandatory GPS.  I live up country on a rural dirt road and if I order anything online and it is delivered by anybody but Kerry or Thai Post it's a real [problem.   Over the past 22 years I've had experiences with Kerry, Thai POst, CJGLS, DHL, NINJA, YUSEN and the latest TP LOGISTICS.  I send then emails with GPS coordinates, directions from the nearest main highway junction and a google Map and they still have the driver call when he gets in the area.  I speak a little Thai and the driver usually  speaks no English.  I usually manage to get them to the nearest Temple and meet them there, but if they had GPS all that they would have to do is put in the coordinates and they would get an instant map!

Ought a use storks. They never fail to deliver.

[snowgard]

6 hours ago, ChipButty said:

I dont think Thailand has a big problem with car theft, The best car thieves in the world are in the UK none of the technology stopped them they will always find away round it

For sure not!!! Where they want to sell the cars on the island???

 

The east europes are the No. 1 in car thefts!!! The most of the stolen cars from europe are sold to russia and and other east europe countries!!!
And the most cars thefts are in germany: https://www.stolencars24.eu/en/stat.php?chart=2

 

[hugocnx]

1 hour ago, nervona81732 said:

BIG BROTHER is HERE!

Yep. Of course in a 2/3 world country there is a real need for a compulsory GPS. And how to implement this on a moped?

Gazing an bang! As if that makes driving save. What a <deleted>.

BTW, wasn't Prayut charming up a bit to China the other day? Is communism coming or invited and would you like that?

Then again who is providing for millions of GPS's? Sure the Chinese, which is good for repeated VAT as the darn things won't last a year. Make China great...NOT. Don't follow their mass manipulation of population.

 

Edit: For actually tracking down people this GPS thing has no effect since one can do (or does) that already by phone towers. 'Every' Thai and foreigner have a cell phone, so when it comes to big brother and tracking you, they already do that. That's why you have to register for a cell phone number. It's getting creepier in the LOS. 

[chilli42]

One wonders how much money was to be made by the minister involved.  Contract assignment and profit sharing.  I am guessing quite a bit.  It’s the only explanation for even opening his mouth.  I can see his toadies in the ministry nodding their heads and telling him what a great idea it is then laughing their backsides off once out of the room.

[Darkside Gray]

Who wries the scripts for these guys. 

[kevden]

Given the number of unregistered/untaxed /unplated vehicles in this Country, (added to the number of vehicles in this Country). Is it reasonable to expect any success in trelling vehicle owners to pay 3,000 baht to have the equipment fitted, then to pay 300 baht per year for the 'service'. Doomed to failure if required of all people. 

[overherebc]

I feel sorry for the drivers of the future. Not sure on timing but it won't be that long before everyone will be in, not driving, clone type means of transport, totally silent and controlled by a central computer.

Only the very few will have the chance to sit in a real car, hold a real steering wheel and press a button and hear a big capacity gasoline or diesel engine burst into life and feel that wonderful slight shake through the seat and hear the burble from a big bore twin exhaust system. Add the gorgeous noise from 6 weber intake trumpets without air filters or the nice whine from a diesel turbo charger, oooooh I'm getting excited already.

Add a concession to emmisions by feeding the crankcase breather gases into an old Castrol R can with a bit of wire wool in the bottom.

Get it into gear, no mambypamby automatics, those are only for limp wristed hairdressers called Sandee.

Hit the go faster pedal and leave nice black wavy lines on the tarmac'. Lift off the pedal at 5,000 plus rpm and imagine the flames and bangs coming out the big bore exhausts.

If you've got the right beast feel the start of things getting a bit 'light' at speed and start to back off slowly and tell yourself 'next time' 5mph more.

 

[emptypockets]

I expect the idea will be dropped because of pushback by vehicle and motorbike manufacturers. Can't imagine Benz or BMW making a Thailand specific model.

[overherebc]

10 minutes ago, emptypockets said:

I expect the idea will be dropped because of pushback by vehicle and motorbike manufacturers. Can't imagine Benz or BMW making a Thailand specific model.

Not really. Just no way to follow every single vehicles movements on GPS live.

 

[berrec]

5555, so funny you could not make this stuff up even if you tried and of course you can't put brains in statuses, what a stupid idea, forget about  the motor vehicles, what about the 20 million plus motorcycles in Thailand.

 

I can just see all the millions  of Isaan motorcycles owners buying a GPS unit for their bikes. 5555
 

Most live a very basic life day to day and would not have the funds to buy a GPS for this hair-brain  scheme. 

 

You've just got to wonder about all these useless government officials who really lack the intelligence to really think though any effective practical deliverable initiative  without firstly getting their 15 minutes of fame in front of the press.

 

Then without loosing face promote some unbelievable excuse why it cannot be achieved.

[Mikeasq60]

what on earth is going on with Thailand? 

[sunnyboy2018]

7 hours ago, jvs said:

Those luxury cars can now be seen in????

The Stans

[emptypockets]

1 hour ago, overherebc said:

Not really. Just no way to follow every single vehicles movements on GPS live.

 

Google seems to be able to do it with Google maps......all over the world. I use it for navigation and know it works very well. I can't see Thailand having the computing power to do it, but it can be done.

[Boatfreak]

Shame if this had been connected to the immigration office we would have avoided reporting.

[overherebc]

5 minutes ago, emptypockets said:

Google seems to be able to do it with Google maps......all over the world. I use it for navigation and know it works very well. I can't see Thailand having the computing power to do it, but it can be done.

Depends on the vision of what was imagined. A super computer that would flash red everytime a vehicle broke the speed limit or crossed a solid white line. Red indicator signal lights would burn out in a day or less.