No More Hand-held Phone Chatting While Driving

[frenchFARANGbkk]

No more hand-held phone chatting while driving

BANGKOK: -- In three months, drivers using a mobile phone without a hands free device will face a fine of Bt400-Bt1,000.

The National Legislative Assembly (NLA) Wednesday approved the amendment to the Land Transport Act, which will go into effect 90 days after publication in the Royal Gazette.

The NLA committee vetting the bill had attached a notice to it, saying the partial prohibition would cover many motorists especially those in big cities with heavy traffic.

A public relations campaign was needed for better understanding of the law and for easier enforcement by police. An equipment budget should be prepared for police to implement this new regulation effectively.

The scrutinising committee had also urged moving towards an outright ban on all mobile phone usage while driving. Since traffic jams and road accidents cost the economy dearly, the government should improve and update the whole Land Transport Act and have National Police adjust Traffic Police operating procedures for faster and better enforcement of road rules.

No one debated the bill, so the NLA president called for a show of hands, and it passed with 57 votes.

--The Nation 2007-11-14

What?! So until now there was no law against phone and drive ?!

So I guess that there isn't also any law saying that kids in cars should be in a baby seat? As I have NEVER seen a Thai kid in a baby seat (maybe Thai parents should have a look at videos of crash tests with kids not being in baby seat or having any safe belt, to understand...).

[shedend]

I live in Phuket and can quite honestly say most of the drivers here including "sorry" some farangs are crazy. The main bypass road is a death trap with drivers/riders using the outside lane because they do not want to use the nearside lane due to other vehicles just pulling out in front of them and of course this will cause them a problem because yes they are on the phone.

I often see motorists go through red lights because they can not be bothered to follow the law. I have actually seen a motorbike hit a car due to this and the rider cme off the worst but no one assisted and just sat at the lights or drove around them......

I agree if caught using a mobile phone you have no control of the vehicle as two hands at either 10-2 or 1/4 to 3 are deemed the correct positions when driving a car, bus, lorry etc. How can the motorbike rider have control when there are 4 personnel on the bike, the rider is trying to use the phone and no one is wearing helmets..Oh the mother is holding a 3 month old baby as well....... Royal Thai Police get a grip.......fine them hard and install CCTV at major junctions so there is proof of their crazy driving.

Shedend why did you ever come here to Phuket why didn't you stay were you were happy with all the rules and up tight women ?????? Just wondering !

I am happy. Better than being in London and getting shot just for thumping your horn at another motorist. At least here it is normally to warn you you are going to be shot............................Or hit you, or I am overtaking etc.

You must be in Phuket as well as you stated "Shedend why did you ever come here to Phuket"????

[capt_canada42]

I live in Phuket and can quite honestly say most of the drivers here including "sorry" some farangs are crazy. The main bypass road is a death trap with drivers/riders using the outside lane because they do not want to use the nearside lane due to other vehicles just pulling out in front of them and of course this will cause them a problem because yes they are on the phone.

I often see motorists go through red lights because they can not be bothered to follow the law. I have actually seen a motorbike hit a car due to this and the rider cme off the worst but no one assisted and just sat at the lights or drove around them......

I agree if caught using a mobile phone you have no control of the vehicle as two hands at either 10-2 or 1/4 to 3 are deemed the correct positions when driving a car, bus, lorry etc. How can the motorbike rider have control when there are 4 personnel on the bike, the rider is trying to use the phone and no one is wearing helmets..Oh the mother is holding a 3 month old baby as well....... Royal Thai Police get a grip.......fine them hard and install CCTV at major junctions so there is proof of their crazy driving.

Shedend why did you ever come here to Phuket why didn't you stay were you were happy with all the rules and up tight women ?????? Just wondering !

I am happy. Better than being in London and getting shot just for thumping your horn at another motorist. At least here it is normally to warn you you are going to be shot............................Or hit you, or I am overtaking etc.

You must be in Phuket as well as you stated "Shedend why did you ever come here to Phuket"????

Well you can get shot here in Phuket if you honk at the wrong person or if when they almost hit you when they cut you off you give them the bird or as the other night when two lads almost ran me down on there motor cycle I glared at them they were not to happy about that. But frankly I have text messaged people while driving as for a few years I was in my car for long hours each day and i have had sex. But the bumps in the road spill my soup when I'm cooking so i have given that up !

[John K]

The though is in the right place to avoid accidents, but hands free or not makes no difference. The mind is too divided to drive and not sound like an idiot at the same time. Motor skills and concentration are both compromised while multitasking.

However as said by another tinted windows will be on the uprise. I almost got run over about a week ago with that scenario. Someone was taking on the phone turning into a soi off Sukhumvit I was crossing, dark tint on the windows.

[Bill]

[...] if you know any other way not get get stress when driving here, let me know. lol

I keep a 12V cooler in my car loaded up with my favorite alcoholic beverages. Funny how I stop caring about all the other idiots I share the road with after I get a couple in me. Saves on the bar tab when I get to my destination, too.

The main problem I deal with is not being able to make it to my destination without one or more pit stops!

[Mujjiman]

My windows are way too dark for anyone to see inside, hence the reason I am rarely pulled over as they can't see it's a farang driving who would like to contrbute to the 'tea fund' Having put up with similar looney legislation in the UK, it was proved to be pretty much a waste of time. Holding a phone to your ear is no more distracting than talking hands free, changing a CD, lighting a cigarette, programming your sat-nav etc.etc. And they have full on TV's on the dashboard here, that still work when you are moving. And where is your constructive comment?

The statement saying its no more distracting than the other things in my view is not correct,in the Uk whenever you see a driver not pulling away at a roundabout in time, verring lanes and driving as if distracted when you pull alongside they are always on a mobile phone. The are distracted so much they cant concentrate on driving, this leads me to another point some drivers are so poor any distraction has an amazing effect on their driving.

All drivers past a test all IQs are not, stupid person + bad driver + phone = Big plompem

Clever person + good driver + mobile phone = No plompem

There you are

[BEENTHEREDONETHAT]

It is intertesting that guys talk about having sex, drinking and sending text messages while driving. And then bitch about the Thai drivers being bad drivers.

[TEFLMike]

About time that this law was passed and implemented.

Only a few weeks ago, the Highway Code in the UK, was updated. The Ministry of Transport, very descreetly, added a new clause as regarding smoking whilst driving.

In effect : Whilst it is not illegal to smoke in your private, personal vehicle, (company cars, public and works vehicles are smoke free by law), it is now deemed, that to drive whilst smoking, construes driving 'without due care and attention'. And the existing laws as regards driving without due care and attention applies. The penalties refer to fines, points on licences etc.

Over the past few years, drivers have been charged with driving without due care and attention, for eating and even for drinking a bottle of water at the wheel., even whilst stationary at traffic lights.

[gmac]

The though is in the right place to avoid accidents, but hands free or not makes no difference. The mind is too divided to drive and not sound like an idiot at the same time. Motor skills and concentration are both compromised while multitasking.

However as said by another tinted windows will be on the uprise. I almost got run over about a week ago with that scenario. Someone was taking on the phone turning into a soi off Sukhumvit I was crossing, dark tint on the windows.

Ah......so you were in Thailand at the time -- clearly your fault, if you had stayed home the situation wouldn't have arisen!

[bucatini70]

the law would be great if you actually drove in Bangkok but what will you do in your car for the 45 minutes it takes to get through the light at oh rachada (sic)45 min, aoske from sukhumvit an hour, silom hour, nanglinchi 30 min anyplace near pratunam why don't they worry about getting the traffic moving.....limit taxi lisc, keep them out of bus lane, build a few fly-overs ect and then we can worry about things likes mobile phone usage

[LeungKen]

Wow whilst I was reading this thread I noticed there 244 users, also reading this same thread.

I guess driving in Thailand is one of the most interesting topics around !!

I'll stick with my Zimmer frame though thanks. (Hands Occupied)

[belidofan]

i have been comtemplating to go to the thaivisa gathering in pattaya, but after reading the comments in this topic, i realize, again, that this would not be a big mistake.

[belidofan]

see how upset i am : disregard the "not" of course

[gwynt]

My windows are way too dark for anyone to see inside, hence the reason I am rarely pulled over as they can't see it's a farang driving who would like to contrbute to the 'tea fund'

Having put up with similar looney legislation in the UK, it was proved to be pretty much a waste of time. Holding a phone to your ear is no more distracting than talking hands free, changing a CD, lighting a cigarette, programming your sat-nav etc.etc. And they have full on TV's on the dashboard here, that still work when you are moving.

And where is your constructive comment?

The so called LOONY law in the UK has now been reinforced by three points on the licence this is makes people sit up.

The same law has just been introduced in Saudi, to no avail, along with prohibiting the driver carrying a child on his lap whilst driving???

[fire and ice]

if the law was genuinely being brought in to minimize/stop peeps from talking on the mobile while, well mobile, the easy fix would be to make the carriers drop any calls that hand-off between cell sites fast enough to be in a motorized vehicle.

Oh brilliant! Another fine idea from the same people who invented bicycles for fish; I guess its just not important that PASSENGERS in cars, buses & trains would also get cut off while trying to talk on the phone??

[britmaveric]

Another law that will be ignored....

[Dakhar]

We are involved in a family business, the wife is on the phone constantly. She bought a hands free system without the Thai govt having to tell her to do so. I guess a little logic whas picked up from her time in states.

[distortedlink]

Brilliant all these clamp downs.

The same as they clamped down on Motor Cyclists not wearing helmets, the same as when they clamped down on drivers not wearing seatbelts, the same as when they clamped down on drunk drivers, the same as when they clamped down on more than 2 persons seated on a motor cycle, the same as when they clamped on irresponsible parking, the same as when they clamped down on speeders.

Looks good on paper I suppose and that’s about how far this will go

[dezeure]

There is also a law on the books that said that window which are darkened over 60% are not legal. This law was inacted during the time Gen Chavalit was in power.

The handsfree phoning has been implemented in Belgium several years ago. Fines are 75 Euros. Windows can be as black as you want except for the driver and passenger window which is limited to 30% darkening.

Finally a good law which is passed...

[dezeure]

if the law was genuinely being brought in to minimize/stop peeps from talking on the mobile while, well mobile, the easy fix would be to make the carriers drop any calls that hand-off between cell sites fast enough to be in a motorized vehicle.

Oh brilliant! Another fine idea from the same people who invented bicycles for fish; I guess its just not important that PASSENGERS in cars, buses & trains would also get cut off while trying to talk on the phone??

exactly!!! Passengers are still allowed to call; or what about traffic jams moving at 7 km/h (on a good day) then it would not cut anyway... I guess bankok would never be cut !

[astral]

About time too.

PS the fine is far too small.

Confiscation of the phone would be better.

[dezeure]

[...] if you know any other way not get get stress when driving here, let me know. lol

I keep a 12V cooler in my car loaded up with my favorite alcoholic beverages. Funny how I stop caring about all the other idiots I share the road with after I get a couple in me. Saves on the bar tab when I get to my destination, too.

The main problem I deal with is not being able to make it to my destination without one or more pit stops!

...arent you proud to set a good example...

[bobbyphon]

No more hand-held phone chatting while driving

BANGKOK: -- In three months, drivers using a mobile phone without a hands free device will face a fine of Bt400-Bt1,000.

The National Legislative Assembly (NLA) Wednesday approved the amendment to the Land Transport Act, which will go into effect 90 days after publication in the Royal Gazette.

The NLA committee vetting the bill had attached a notice to it, saying the partial prohibition would cover many motorists especially those in big cities with heavy traffic.

A public relations campaign was needed for better understanding of the law and for easier enforcement by police. An equipment budget should be prepared for police to implement this new regulation effectively.

The scrutinising committee had also urged moving towards an outright ban on all mobile phone usage while driving. Since traffic jams and road accidents cost the economy dearly, the government should improve and update the whole Land Transport Act and have National Police adjust Traffic Police operating procedures for faster and better enforcement of road rules.

No one debated the bill, so the NLA president called for a show of hands, and it passed with 57 votes.

--The Nation 2007-11-14

In my experience here in the US... It is about time Thialand got with the "cell phone problem".. It is a good law, if enforced and honored by ALL drivers... I am hoping that they pass such a law here in Florida.. as they already have in other states.. It might have saved the life of a mother and daughter in Central Florida when a young lady ran a stop and killed them both.... It was proved that she was on a cell call at the time...

To you folks that want to continue to talk while driving... don't be surprised when you are taken out by a "cell phone yaker"...

[domomc]

alot of negativity here re this but it's damned if you do and damned if you don't....so where do you start??? maybe by buying a one way ticket back to the country you originally came (or escaped) from

[scratt]

I think the simple fact is it is Christmas soon, and the police need to buy present for their families too....

Just keep a couple of hundred baht behind your phone battery and all will be fine..

[anon467367354]

I think every state has a law against driving while using a hand-held phone, I also believe there is a law against having tinted windows so dark one cannot see the occupants. The laws make sense as to being in effect as the USA is a police state, I can say that after living there for 45 years. Police officers have been shot never seeing the gun pointed at them as the window rolled down. Cell phone use while driving is a real problem considering the American people do not expect poor driving from the others as do the Thai. This cell phone law is just going to be another one of those non-enforced laws like all the rest of them. Bus drivers still smoke, 5 people on a motorbike, no helmets or even eye protection for children, amazing na.

[jetjock]

Driving and talking on a cell phone at the same time seems to be a multitask event that many drivers are incapable of doing without risking the lives of everyone around them. I am in favor of the new law however doubt if it will be enforced except perhaps selectively against farangs when they need some tea money. Remember you are in a country where prostitution has been technically illegal since 1960 but how much enforcement of that law have you seen lately !

[Lancashirelad]

You've worded that well Jetjock, i agree with you.

Deeply tinted side windows are damned dangerous, safe driving is all about eye contact. When a vehicle with deep tints is waiting to pull out at a junction, you have no way of knowing if the driver has seen you... or if he's even looking in your direction.

Proven dangerous.

[Foggy Bottom]

You've worded that well Jetjock, i agree with you.

Deeply tinted side windows are damned dangerous, safe driving is all about eye contact. When a vehicle with deep tints is waiting to pull out at a junction, you have no way of knowing if the driver has seen you... or if he's even looking in your direction.

Proven dangerous.

Nahhhhh ....

As was said in a movie (forget which one) - driving is all about collision avoidance, I figured out that wherever you look is where the car goes, so when you want to ram someone, just stare straight at them and drive to where you're looking.

The character had a point in a weird fuzzy logic sort of way.

[marshall]

So its still OK on a motorbike? The article refers to drivers, not riders.

Pedantic I know but it wouldn't surprise me. Just get a darker tint on your windows so the BiB can't see you!

motor vehicle includes motor cycle..how about some constructive comment to support this about time rule..

maybe when the phone goes now. they will just stop in the middle of the road to answer it eh.more traffic jams and deaths.

Edited November 14, 2007 by marshall