Thailand’s new penalty point system for driving offences – here’s what you need to know

[webfact]

File photo

 

By Online Reporter

A new penalty point deduction system for traffic violations will come into force from January 9.

 

Officials have said that people who lose all points will be banned from driving for up to 90 days.

 

The new point system will be in place for drivers of cars and motorcycles and is being introduced in an effort to improve road safety and reduce the number of road traffic accidents in Thailand.

 

Every motorist will begin with 12 points but will gradually lose points for violating traffic rules and/or failing to pay traffic fines, Highway Police Division commander Pol Maj-General Ekkarat Limsangkat has said.

 

Full story: https://www.huahintoday.com/thailand-news/thailands-new-penalty-point-system-for-driving-offences-heres-what-you-need-to-know/

 

-- © Copyright Hua Hin Today 2022-12-09

 

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[RafPinto]

I see already the cops increasing their salary by "saving" your points.

[stoner]

here's what you really need to know....

 

1 it's totally irrelevant

2 i means nothing in real day to day life

3 it will be abused to the max as with everything here

 

[KannikaP]

What's the difference between Reckless Driving (1 point) and Driving without regard for the safety of others (4 points) ?

[jacko45k]

Just now, KannikaP said:

What's the difference between Reckless Driving (1 point) and Driving without regard for the safety of others (4 points) ?

Killing 1 or killing 4?

[Yorkshire Tea]

First thing they need to do is crackdown on drivers with illegible licence plates.  Once all plates can be read by traffic cameras, they can then introduce this points system.

[zzaa09]

1 hour ago, stoner said:

here's what you really need to know....

 

1 it's totally irrelevant

2 i means nothing in real day to day life

3 it will be abused to the max as with everything here

 

It's what they do. 

Yet, Thais have a most delightful manner in which to ignore these things.

[happysoul]

Useless measures again. This country will (want) never learn.

 

It's not making restrictive laws that will improve any thing. Stop fighting the consequences, fight the cause. For many problems happing in Thailand education is the solution. Start to educate all, not only the ones able to pay high amounts for private schools (note to self, might not better but you get to play with the "high-so" club then relations make you grow, not your competence).

 

Most if not all Thai leaders went to study abroad, why ?

 

Regarding deaths on the road, make a real license education, learn anticipation, forget loosing face and respect all road users as same even if you drive a multi million worth car. When all that will be in Thai driver's brain the death rate will be down to EU standards.

 

Same for alcohol, drugs, sex and weapons. Education is key.

 

Oh, but I forgot, then all will have chances to succeed and also understand the mess some people are doing... Well I guess it won't happen ????

[Wiggy]

1 hour ago, KannikaP said:

What's the difference between Reckless Driving (1 point) and Driving without regard for the safety of others (4 points) ?

The difference is the trumped up

charge and size of the roadside ‘fine’ you give the nice policeman to avoid having points deducted. 

[damascase]

The RTP isn’t enforcing any sort of traffic rule right now. You can drive like an idiot, on the wrong side of the road, without helmets, using telephones while driving, without driving license, no safety belts etc.: you name it and they don’t enforce it. So what would change after the introduction of this new system? 
Too many people have no driving license at all, so why would they bother about loosing points that they don’t have…..

From what I see daily on Thai roads, quite a lot of people would burn all the points they have in a single day. Riding against traffic on a motorbike, no helmet, while looking af the phone instead of the roads and probably under influence of alcohol or oder ‘enhancers’ is quite a common sight, and that is just one example. Travel on a hilly and winding road and count the number of people overtaking on the wrong side of the double yellow line just before a blind corner or the top of a steep hill, and you’ll be short of fingers to count on within a couple of minutes.

No policing, no enforcement, so nothing will change. Very sad!

 

 

 

 

[AgentSmith]

1 hour ago, happysoul said:

Useless measures again. This country will (want) never learn.

 

It's not making restrictive laws that will improve any thing. Stop fighting the consequences, fight the cause. For many problems happing in Thailand education is the solution. Start to educate all, not only the ones able to pay high amounts for private schools (note to self, might not better but you get to play with the "high-so" club then relations make you grow, not your competence).

 

Most if not all Thai leaders went to study abroad, why ?

 

Regarding deaths on the road, make a real license education, learn anticipation, forget loosing face and respect all road users as same even if you drive a multi million worth car. When all that will be in Thai driver's brain the death rate will be down to EU standards.

 

Same for alcohol, drugs, sex and weapons. Education is key.

 

Oh, but I forgot, then all will have chances to succeed and also understand the mess some people are doing... Well I guess it won't happen ????

Totally agree. They better start with actual driving lessons and do it today. You can't enforce rules when the people never actually learn to apply the rules. People learn by example, not by deterring them with a video full of accidents and hefty fines. Where's the instructor teaching drivers how to behave in numerous traffic circumstances? Where's the examiner failing people during their practical test when they make a mistake? People simply shouldn't get a driver's license in the first place when they have no idea how to drive. Which is exactly what happened with the vast majority of drivers on Thai roads.

 

You gotta filter those people out before they go on the road not after. Thailand has got it backward once again.

[Regyai]

4 hours ago, KannikaP said:

What's the difference between Reckless Driving (1 point) and Driving without regard for the safety of others (4 points) ?

Probably one purple persuader  (500฿) 

[ikke1959]

First make that everyone who drivers has a license.. Than get rid of the corrupt police officers and than implement a good piont deduction system. How easy it is if you get checked and they want to fine you and you can buy yourself out with a few thousand THB or so? No loosing points, and a happier officer... but a worthless system

[mrfill]

5 hours ago, KannikaP said:

What's the difference between Reckless Driving (1 point) and Driving without regard for the safety of others (4 points) ?

About three points?

[4MyEgo]

4 hours ago, Yorkshire Tea said:

First thing they need to do is crackdown on drivers with illegible licence plates.  Once all plates can be read by traffic cameras, they can then introduce this points system.

What about the scores of motorists/motor cyclists I see day in day out without plates. 

 

To introduce the system, they need cops willing to work, but as usual, these bozos will see a way to manipulate the system, pay fine lose points or pay me and keep points.

[Aussieroaming]

First things first the RTP need to employ somebody willing to enforce the points system because the current batch of lazy bar......ds won't. 

 

And even if the driver has a driver's license they won't stop driving if they lose their points. 

 

The points system is a good concept in another place.

[digger70]

6 hours ago, webfact said:

Officials have said that people who lose all points will be banned from driving for up to 90 days.

 

The new point system will be in place for drivers of cars and motorcycles

What about All the Other motorised road users ,Vans,Trucks,Buses? 

They can do what they like . what a system, good for nothing. 

What dork dreamed up  this.

[yeahbutif]

How many points do you lose for not having a licence?  Oh durrr none .

[vandeventer]

How many people in your area have a license? If they lost it, would that stop them from driving?

[Deli]

5 hours ago, happysoul said:

Useless measures again. This country will (want) never learn.

 

It's not making restrictive laws that will improve any thing. Stop fighting the consequences, fight the cause. For many problems happing in Thailand education is the solution. Start to educate all, not only the ones able to pay high amounts for private schools (note to self, might not better but you get to play with the "high-so" club then relations make you grow, not your competence).

 

Most if not all Thai leaders went to study abroad, why ?

 

Regarding deaths on the road, make a real license education, learn anticipation, forget loosing face and respect all road users as same even if you drive a multi million worth car. When all that will be in Thai driver's brain the death rate will be down to EU standards.

 

Same for alcohol, drugs, sex and weapons. Education is key.

 

Oh, but I forgot, then all will have chances to succeed and also understand the mess some people are doing... Well I guess it won't happen ????

It would take away all of the fun of living in Thailand. If someone wants western rules, he/she should not live here

[zzaa09]

1 hour ago, digger70 said:

What about All the Other motorised road users ,Vans,Trucks,Buses? 

They can do what they like . what a system, good for nothing. 

What dork dreamed up  this.

The dorks that will profit [directly/indirectly] nicely from such acts.

Like most everything here. 

[goloeilmanz]

8 hours ago, KannikaP said:

What's the difference between Reckless Driving (1 point) and Driving without regard for the safety of others (4 points) ?

Reckless driving and driving without regard for the safety of others are both serious traffic offenses that can result in significant penalties, including fines and points on your driver's license. 

 

Reckless driving generally refers to the act of operating a vehicle in a way that shows a disregard for the safety of others on the road. This can include speeding, weaving in and out of traffic, running red lights or stop signs, and other dangerous behaviors. 
 

Driving without regard for the safety of others, on the other hand, is a more serious offense that can also include reckless driving behaviors but may also involve more intentional actions, such as trying to cause an accident or intentionally driving in a way that puts others at risk. This offense is often punishable by harsher penalties, including larger fines and more points on your license.

 

In general, the difference between reckless driving and driving without regard for the safety of others may come down to the intent behind the actions. Reckless driving is typically seen as a more reckless or careless behavior, while driving without regard for the safety of others is more intentional and deliberate.

[Peterphuket]

In another message from today about the truck driver, how many points he will lose?

1 or 2 maybe because it was not his fault the brakes of his truck refuse to work?

[happysoul]

2 hours ago, Deli said:

It would take away all of the fun of living in Thailand. If someone wants western rules, he/she should not live here

I totally agree that's why I'm talking about education. I nowhere promote rules (laws). I think laws are stupid. In my dream world, people would be educated well enough so that rules are not necessary (in my dream world ! :)). 

 

I like to drive fast. I drive on the road that I take about 10 times a month at 140/160. BUT the part where I drive fast is straight, in the middle of fields and forest and has little traffic. I slow down at the 2 places where there is a crossing even if I don't see anybody there. In my village, I rarely drive above 30/40 (what pisses off some others behind). I call that common sense. I might be wrong, but I think that with good education you improve common sense and can better behave in society.

 

 

[findlay13]

19 hours ago, Yorkshire Tea said:

First thing they need to do is crackdown on drivers with illegible licence plates.  Once all plates can be read by traffic cameras, they can then introduce this points system.

Good luck with that

 

[hotchilli]

20 hours ago, webfact said:

Officials have said that people who lose all points will be banned from driving for up to 90 days.

Try one year it might have the desired effect.

 

[hotchilli]

20 hours ago, RafPinto said:

I see already the cops increasing their salary by "saving" your points.

no need to worry, lose all your points you "could" be off the road for "up-to" 90 days.

Which will probably be ignored.

Then you get all your points back to repeat.

 

[hotchilli]

20 hours ago, KannikaP said:

What's the difference between Reckless Driving (1 point) and Driving without regard for the safety of others (4 points) ?

3 points?????

[zzaa09]

3 hours ago, hotchilli said:

3 points?????

And a couple stars.

[bangon04]

On 12/9/2022 at 4:31 AM, jacko45k said:

Killing 1 or killing 4?

nice to know you are allowed to kill 3 separate children on 3 separate zebra crossings before you lose your licence.......

 

but then you are obliged to take a break...

"Officials have said that people who lose all points will be banned from driving for up to 90 days."

Edited December 10, 2022 by bangon04