Handsfree only: New penalties for using a mobile phone while driving in Thailand

[Tropposurfer]

I was recently back on Oz and a buddy of mine turned up to a 'golf date' and he was pee'd-off!

He picked up his phone to check for messages (driven by lust for a cute woman he had met earlier and who had messaged him) at the traffic lights (stopped).

He was photographed by the camera with his phone in his hand and got 5 demerit point on his license and a $362 AUD fine. Which in Oz is almost half the demerit points for a year before your license is suspended for the rest of the year.

I just polled a bunch of my mates at home and they say they see far less drivers with phones in their hands these days than a year or two ago. When I asked what they though this was about they said it was knowing the use of cameras and the police on the roads nabbing them.

Whether such a social consciousness/fear can be both instilled and enforced here is another matter.

 

[bstafford214]

2 hours ago, smedly said:

they generally are only a risk to themselves, using a mobile device is entirely different and is recognized across the world as one of the top causes of road collisions which is why it is being addressed with severe penalties

Great comments here, but as most people living in Thailand know, this will make no difference in this country when they don't enforce the law. They could save more lives by enforcing the helmet law, but the police don't do their job. Our police force sit and use the phones all morning and then disappear after lunch, never to be seen again that day. What good are the laws in any country if they aren't enforced?

[bstafford214]

44 minutes ago, Nicholas Paul KNIGHT said:

Now let me guess who will be doing the enforcing, hopefully NOT the RTP Officer I saw using his phone while driving a POLICE CAR the other day !!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

You didn't know that the RTP are above the law? They can do whatever they want and don't care, just give him a brown envelope and he will be happy!

 

[misterphil]

With 99.9% of cars here having tinted windows how are they going to see who's on a phone? 
 

 

[Thailand]

2 hours ago, Padthaigoong said:

Family of four on a motorbike with no helmets still ok ?

As long as they are wearing masks.

[Henryford]

But riding a motorbike one handed while making a call is OK

[decca60]

And the cops in charge if enforcing this new law are..........................................playing on their phones ........

[jacko45k]

7 minutes ago, Henryford said:

But riding a motorbike one handed while making a call is OK

Only when holding a baby too!

[PEE TEE]

So the motorbike's will have their phones stitched to their ears  hence making them hands free but only the car drivers will be fined  

[thailand49]

Tougher rules? 

There is already a law in effect!   But like 99.9%  all their rules aren't effective due to no enforcement! 

It is put it out there and hope the Honor system works which handcart fail history! 

Like seat belts,  already there but like now tougher September 5th,  I haven't seen one BiB out checking. 

It is only getting worse not a day goes by I don't see dozens of driver using phones,  especially the deliveries people.

Last week getting a foot massage guy on bike hands free looking at his phone mounted on handlebar with small umbrella drove into pole knocked himself out?

Shocking give him credit yesterday saw a guy on bike he was hands free both hands texting while moving. 

More is coming!

[TigerandDog]

1 hour ago, Andycoops said:

Not to mention motorcycle riders!

and cyclists

[worrab]

Pray do tell exactly who is going to enforce this law. We never see any patrol cars on the roads and Highway Police only tug trucks or pick ups for tea money. A total waste of another what could be a life saver law that just will not be enforced along with helmets, wrong side of road driving, under age drivers etc.

[Lemsta69]

2 hours ago, Snig27 said:

I guess this will go into the same "it's the law but we won't enforce it until sometime in the future after people get used to it" box as the other recent tougher traffic laws. Meanwhile two cops sat and watched while I was almost run down by a driver not stopping on a crossing a few days back. 

pedestrian crossings are dangerous bro, you know there's a very good chance that one or more vehicles won't stop so pointless trying to blame the coppers. caveat emptor and all that.

 

I've used them occasionally in Bangkok but only with extreme caution, ie. not passing a stopped car until I've poked my head out and checked for oncoming vehicles that look  like they might not want to stop. that still doesn't guarantee I won't get cleaned up by a speeding motosai that might pop out from behind a van or a bus.

 

what amazed me was that each time I used the crossings the other, mostly Thai, pedestrians just looked straight ahead as if the green walk signal gave them some kind of invisible force field. 

 

 

[Lemsta69]

16 minutes ago, thailand49 said:

Tougher rules? 

There is already a law in effect!   But like 99.9%  all their rules aren't effective due to no enforcement! 

It is put it out there and hope the Honor system works which handcart fail history! 

Like seat belts,  already there but like now tougher September 5th,  I haven't seen one BiB out checking. 

It is only getting worse not a day goes by I don't see dozens of driver using phones,  especially the deliveries people.

Last week getting a foot massage guy on bike hands free looking at his phone mounted on handlebar with small umbrella drove into pole knocked himself out?

Shocking give him credit yesterday saw a guy on bike he was hands free both hands texting while moving. 

More is coming!

that's all part of the charm of living here. God forbid that it becomes like Singapore. what a fine city that is ????

[johncat1]

Dashboard mounts for phones are quite common and people still take their eyes off the road to use their phone whilst driving. How can the police check on this?  Also screens for navigation etc are quite common in modern cars and very distracting.

I am amazed at the number of motorcyclists who manage to chat and text whilst riding their bikes, not easy with one hand and steering the bike with the other hand.

[Octpob]

3 hours ago, Geoffggi said:

Does this new rule also apply to motorbike riders ...........................LOL

I have seen a policeman on a motorbike using mobile phone whilst riding in Sukhumvit..

[userabcd]

Handsfree should also not be allowed.

 

The driver is distracted whilst concentrating on what they are discussing on the phone.

[Neeranam]

1 hour ago, Tropposurfer said:

I was recently back on Oz and a buddy of mine turned up to a 'golf date' and he was pee'd-off!

He picked up his phone to check for messages (driven by lust for a cute woman he had met earlier and who had messaged him) at the traffic lights (stopped).

He was photographed by the camera with his phone in his hand and got 5 demerit point on his license and a $362 AUD fine. Which in Oz is almost half the demerit points for a year before your license is suspended for the rest of the year.

I just polled a bunch of my mates at home and they say they see far less drivers with phones in their hands these days than a year or two ago. When I asked what they though this was about they said it was knowing the use of cameras and the police on the roads nabbing them.

Whether such a social consciousness/fear can be both instilled and enforced here is another matter.

 

I hope we don't become like OZ. 

I was fined in Melbourne on a quiet street for parking, facing the wrong direction. 

I only stopped at a little shop to buy a litre of milk, stupid law, stupid enforcer

 

[hotchilli]

6 hours ago, webfact said:

From now on, motorists must use a hands free connection if they need to make a call while at the wheel and are not allowed to have hold of their phone

Motor cycles excluded?

[Neeranam]

Thailand creates a law reduce traffic accidents and basically all the replies are bashers. Unbelievable. 

 

[hotchilli]

4 hours ago, TheFishman1 said:

I thought the phone use while driving was already in effect a few months ago remember reading about it oh I guess for a few days or make news after that nobody will care TIT

There's always a grace period before new laws are ignored.

[Neeranam]

Just now, hotchilli said:

Motor cycles excluded?

No, do you want bicycles as well? 

[hotchilli]

4 hours ago, Padthaigoong said:

Family of four on a motorbike with no helmets still ok ?

Perfectly.

[Neeranam]

33 minutes ago, johncat1 said:

am amazed at the number of motorcyclists who manage to chat and text whilst riding their bikes, not easy with one hand and steering the bike with the other hand.

You must have good eyesight, unless you are on the bike with them

[FarangFB]

2 hours ago, edogthong said:

I really wish they would do something about all the motorbike drivers who drive around at night with no lights.

This is crazy dangerous and I see it daily, including on some special ramps and highways that motorbikes aren't even allowed. Also quite common in Isan highways which already lack illumination.

[FarangFB]

13 minutes ago, userabcd said:

Handsfree should also not be allowed.

 

The driver is distracted whilst concentrating on what they are discussing on the phone.

With your restriction suggestion all motorbike delivery services would go extinct.

Edited October 15, 2022 by FarangFB

[CygnusX1]

I have fond memories of one of my last taxi rides in Bangkok 3 or so years ago. The driver was a fan of Muay Thai, and was explaining the finer points of the bouts we were watching on his mobile phone.

[Moo 2]

About time and this should apply to motor bike riders also.

[ThailandRyan]

So how will this truly be enforced with the dark tinted windows....

[Andre0720]

A law that is not enforced is the same as no law at all. (Ok ok, at least in Thailand)

So these laws are only good to justify the salary of bureaucrats writing these texts.