Phuket officials target motorbike rental operators to improve road safety

[snoop1130]

PHOTO: www.thavornbeachvillage.com

 

Phuket officials will inspect motorbike rental shops as part of new measures aimed at reducing deaths and injuries on the island’s roads. The Phuket News reports that the measures were confirmed at a meeting chaired by Phuket Vice Governor Anupap Rodkwan Yodrabam on Monday, May 8.

 

Almost on a weekly basis there is some foreigner calling for financial assistance on a GoFundMe page following a motorbike incident in Phuket. Without the rider having a proper Thai motorbike license, the insurance companies refuse to pay any hospital bills.

 

The meeting was also attended by Adcha Buachan, chief of the Phuket Land Transport Office, along with senior-ranking police officers and representatives of other relevant agencies. Attendees discussed and drafted guidelines aimed at controlling rental motorbikes on the island, with an emphasis on safety.

 

Full Story: https://phuket-go.com/phuket-news/phuket-news/phuket-officials-target-motorbike-rental-operators-to-improve-road-safety/

 

-- © Copyright Phuket GO 2023-05-10

 

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[biggles45]

If a foreigner tries to rent a bike and doesn't have the right licence they will not refuse, they want the money. The law won't be enforced.

Only way to enforce it is if a rider is stopped by police without a licence and shows a rental contract, then the rental company should get a heavy fine and the bike confiscated. 

Hit their hip pocket, only way to win. 

[PETERTHEEATER]

Motorcycle rental shop owners should be warned to expect a visit from the monkey sterilisation team if they default on their responsibilities.

[hotchilli]

20 hours ago, snoop1130 said:

The meeting was also attended by Adcha Buachan, chief of the Phuket Land Transport Office, along with senior-ranking police officers and representatives of other relevant agencies. Attendees discussed and drafted guidelines aimed at controlling rental motorbikes on the island, with an emphasis on safety.

Best of luck with that.. 

[transam]

Have they only just thought of it.............................

[madmitch]

Tourists are back and it's like deja vu reading the Phuket news.

 

Motorcycle rental operations should be licenced and punished if they allow those without a valid licence to rent bikes. I know it won't happen but it ain't rocket science!

[Mike Teavee]

Bit of a morbid question but who pays for the damage to the bike if an uninsured/unlicensed tourist is killed in an accident?

 

Does the mandatory 3rd Party insurance cover it (In which case the government could look to changing it so it doesn't apply to rental bikes if the rider is not fully licensed/insured etc...) or does the rental company cover it (in which case you would think it would be in their best interest to ensure full license etc...) 

 

[stevenl]

27 minutes ago, Mike Teavee said:

Bit of a morbid question but who pays for the damage to the bike if an uninsured/unlicensed tourist is killed in an accident?

 

Does the mandatory 3rd Party insurance cover it (In which case the government could look to changing it so it doesn't apply to rental bikes if the rider is not fully licensed/insured etc...) or does the rental company cover it (in which case you would think it would be in their best interest to ensure full license etc...) 

 

Mandatory insurance doesn't cover property damage.

[LivinginKata]

4 hours ago, Mike Teavee said:

Bit of a morbid question but who pays for the damage to the bike if an uninsured/unlicensed tourist is killed in an accident?

 

Does the mandatory 3rd Party insurance cover it (In which case the government could look to changing it so it doesn't apply to rental bikes if the rider is not fully licensed/insured etc...) or does the rental company cover it (in which case you would think it would be in their best interest to ensure full license etc...) 

 

Rental business pays for repair or complete loss.  It's not 3rd party. it's mandatory gov insurance that covers zero damage and limited hospital costs to the riders. Almost worthless but it only costs 348 Baht each year.

[xylophone]

I posted this on a similar topic here..............

 

A poster said; "Easy, if you want to rent a motorcycle you have to provide a valid motorcycle licence?

No licence, no rent".

 

That's how it should be, but in a country where the baht rules and one can buy one's way out of just about any situation with a handful of currency, then that won't work, sadly.

 

 In addition, many of the BIB can't read English or other languages and wouldn't really know what they were looking at; i.e. the licence could have expired years ago, but they wouldn't be able to read it anyway!

 

 There has to be a better/more enforceable way.