Ban On Using Cell Phones Whilst Driving To Take Effect On May 8th

[Jai Dee]

Ban on Cell phone driving to take effect on May 8th

The Traffic Police Office has declared that the National Legislative Assembly (NLA) has passed the 8th draft of the land transport act which contains a regulation concerning the use of mobile communication devices while driving.

The law will ban the use of mobile phones while driving unless assisted by a hands free device and will take effect 90 days after its publishing in the Royal Gazette.

The law is set to go into full swing on May 8th and will entail a 400-1000 baht fine for transgressors. Citizens who use their cell phones while driving will be subject to road blocks similar to those used in speed checks.

The law details that all mobile communication devices must not be held or touched during driving and must have hands free devices attached.

Source: Thai National News Bureau Public Relations Department - 14 Febuary 2008

[slapout]

Do not know how much this will reduce accident rate, but quite a lot I am sure. I know my blood pressure will lower by at least 25% while I am driving. I like it.

[selftaopath]

Do not know how much this will reduce accident rate, but quite a lot I am sure. I know my blood pressure will lower by at least 25% while I am driving. I like it.

I am not being facetious, but does this new law include motor bike operators? I am utterly amazed when I see individuals talking on a mobile phone while operating a motorbike.

[webfact]

Ban on Cell phone driving to take effect on May 8th

The Traffic Police Office has declared that the National Legislative Assembly (NLA) has passed the 8th draft of the land transport act which contains a regulation concerning the use of mobile communication devices while driving.

The law will ban the use of mobile phones while driving unless assisted by a hands free device and will take effect 90 days after its publishing in the Royal Gazette.

The law is set to go into full swing on May 8th and will entail a 400-1000 baht fine for transgressors. Citizens who use their cell phones while driving will be subject to road blocks similar to those used in speed checks.

The law details that all mobile communication devices must not be held or touched during driving and must have hands free devices attached.

Source: Thai National News Bureau Public Relations Department - 14 Febuary 2008

I am confused. Here in Sathorn (intersection Witthayu/Rama IV) you can watch our beloved men in brown doing their duties in fining drivers for using a cell phone while driving. Now I read the law isn't in effect yet. What's it all about.

[slapout]

Did not know comprensive reading was a test applied to Thailands finest, maybe its not. Maybe the drought has hit their farming enterprises so they have to look else where for the car payment. The traffic checks they do up north, net the motorbikers with no head protection, insurance, etc and are operated by foot patrol. I have never seen the Chiang Mai police make a moving violation stop, so doubt if there is too much enforcement.

[Big A]

Ban on Cell phone driving to take effect on May 8th

Yep. This is gonna work!! Another world-beater.

[sweetchariot]

Another endorsement of my decision to have blacked out windows

[Governor]

Another money earner for our nice police men.

[BigSnake]

Be neat to see how they plan to enforce this law, day time maybe at night no way. What about the motorcycles, tuk tuk and samalars driver.

[Seneque]

I believe the biz in dark window films will be brisk in April

How about banning mobile phones in restaurants ... we are in a time of ban this, ban that ... how exciting, what could be banned next ? could we ban idiots ?

[toptuan]

Wow, that's momentous!

Now everyone will be off their cell phones, just like everyone uses motorcycle helmets now (and obeys "no U-turn" signs, and doesn't overtake on a double-yellow line, etc., etc.)

[britmaveric]

Another useless law they will never enforce.

[begsaresponse]

Does this also mean that those who drive motorbikes will have to stop texting and driving at the same time?

If so, will they?

Can't see any of this being applied!!

[Tony Clifton]

The only way to enforce this is by making the signal cut out if the unit moves faster than let's say 10 kph.

Relying on Thai police for ridding the roads of any imagineable road violations is like asking Britney Spears to solve a problem on quantum particles within a model universe made of 11 dimensions.

.

Want to use it on the bus or train? Too bad since that would also involve the driver also being able to place a call while driving.

Passenger in your car wants to phone? Do it at the next stop.

On a motorcycle? You have probably beat the odds and should be dead by now anyway because of the umbrella or strapless helmet you held before with one hand, long before you got your first cell phone.

[quiksilva]

I read in the Nation that they plan to enforce this law with digital cameras!!

Handset crackdown

Motorists talking on mobile telephones without hands-free equipment or headsets from May 7 will be prosecuted.

Published on February 15, 2008

If convicted they face fines of between Bt400 and Bt1,000.

Traffic officers will capture offenders on digital or telephone cameras. Police are asking the public to help catch chatting drivers, too.

"The photos will be used as evidence against offenders. Summons can be sent to their homes later if they manage to speed away from traffic police on the spot," deputy Metropolitan Police commissioner Maj-General Panu Kerdlarpphol said yesterday.

He said the public could send photos to police, and the incidents would be investigated.

Panu said the cell-phone ban while driving was included in the Land Traffic Act. It takes effect 90 days after being published in the Royal Gazette, or May 7.

"Please respect the law. Please think about safety of life and property," Panu said.

About 3,000 digital cameras will be given to police in Bangkok at a cost of about Bt5 million, he said.

The Nation

Enforcing the laws with a photo taken by a camera costing 1,667 Baht!!

[longtom]

Must be magic cameras to penetrate all the black and silver screened windows!

Edited February 15, 2008 by longtom

[skippybangkok]

Another useless law they will never enforce.

Well, it all contributes to increasing the probability of asking for tea $

[geriatrickid]

Another law for show. Surely the grand poobahs must realize by now that if there is no one out there to enforce the traffic laws, then the laws declared have no value. When you have policemen like the pol lt. col arrested for being drunk & disorderly while waving his loaded firearm at everyone the other night in Pattaya, no one is going to pay attention or respect the law.

[donmeurett]

Another endorsement of my decision to have blacked out windows

Apparently you are not aware of the new window tint law. which tacks effect about the time the cell phone law gos into effect.

The Thai police have aquired a flashlite like devices that checks if the tint is to dark. If you are caught fines will be up to 1000 baht and vehicle will be inpounded until tint is removed.

[Thanh-BKK]

Bravo!!

Finally a law that actually makes sense. How many times did i have almost-accidents where the driver of the car was so busy with his/her phone call that there was no possibility to observe the traffic while coming out of a soi? My most expensive near-crash was a red Ferrari no less, in Ekkamai. I should have slammed my 5,000 Baht motorbike right into his side, maybe it would have made me a millionaire. But stupid me did what learned in driving education in home country - drop the anchor and avoid collision by an inch.

I hope that all drivers who use the phone during driving will be fined heavily, it would make Bangkok's roads a lot safer.

Next law please: Total ban on watching TV or singing Karaoke while driving (have seen both!), any screen in the car that is NOT a navigation system should be illegal from the start.

Then next: Total and complete ban on alcohol. If they can do it with the smokers, why not with the alcoholics?

When those two are in force AND ENFORCED, maybe i don't have to fear for my life anymore when entering Bangkok's traffic in/on anything different from a tank.

Best regards.....

Thanh

[Tony Clifton]

There's a ten wheel truck around here, hauls dirt all day long, and the guy installed a karaoke system with speakers on the outside so that everyone can hear him sing as he drives by.

Thais really need to be reminded that a motor vehicle is not an entertainment center or holy temple on wheels where nothing can EVER go wrong..

[sweetchariot]

Another endorsement of my decision to have blacked out windows

Apparently you are not aware of the new window tint law. which tacks effect about the time the cell phone law gos into effect.

The Thai police have aquired a flashlite like devices that checks if the tint is to dark. If you are caught fines will be up to 1000 baht and vehicle will be inpounded until tint is removed.

I think that this has been in force for several years, and it doesn't seem to have been enforced so far.

[stingray]

Another endorsement of my decision to have blacked out windows

Apparently you are not aware of the new window tint law. which tacks effect about the time the cell phone law gos into effect.

The Thai police have aquired a flashlite like devices that checks if the tint is to dark. If you are caught fines will be up to 1000 baht and vehicle will be inpounded until tint is removed.

I think that this has been in force for several years, and it doesn't seem to have been enforced so far.

What is to dark? How many prozent? And why all the police cars, specially Highway Police have almost 100% dark film on theyr cars?

more and more Laws and more regulations. We can go back to Europe or USA. There is no freedom anymore!

[sweetchariot]

Another endorsement of my decision to have blacked out windows

Apparently you are not aware of the new window tint law. which tacks effect about the time the cell phone law gos into effect.

The Thai police have aquired a flashlite like devices that checks if the tint is to dark. If you are caught fines will be up to 1000 baht and vehicle will be inpounded until tint is removed.

I think that this has been in force for several years, and it doesn't seem to have been enforced so far.

What is to dark? How many prozent? And why all the police cars, specially Highway Police have almost 100% dark film on theyr cars?

more and more Laws and more regulations. We can go back to Europe or USA. There is no freedom anymore!

Somebody told me over 60% is too dark, but I am not sure how you measure percentage of darkness. I can see 100% out of them, and people can see 0% in them.

Funny when it's parked on the street how many women use the windows as a mirror.

[Jayman]

Another useless law they will never enforce.

It's far from a USELESS law. What's useless are the BIB. It's a proven fact that talking on a cell phone while driving is much more dangerous than not. Just because the law won't be enforced for long doesn't make it useless. I suppose you think that the helmet laws are useless as well? For that matter, using your logic are there any laws here in LOS that are not useless?

[loveandlaughter]

Passing and publicising the "ban" might have the effect of simply drawing attention to the dangers and encouraging the use of "no hands" headsets.

Not all laws are a "cops and robbers" game. Passing it as a law gives more weight than simply a public safety announcement.

[Cuban]

Would these be the same cell-phones that we had to register a few years ago? That great anti-terrorism measure that is no longer "enforced".

These polictical soundbites are great, just make sure they are not discussed on the phone while driving - opps I didn't think before typing that, maybe this law will be similar to others and only apply to certain people. Like motorcycle helmets BIB excluded.

[koto]

Thank you Buddha, Thank you God, Two hands on the wheel, Two hands on the bike, and a brain to think of what your doing, while your moving at speeds, that can kill you or another, I hope the police, make some baht doing this, their pay sucks, and I hope we all start getting smarter, about driving, smoking, I'm very happy to be living in Thailand as they start to improve the way of life, Now lets start to fine the people that throw garbage on the roads, beaches, storm drains, flick their Toxic Filters, Lets start to educate the people that do not know better, or the people that know better and don't care, We all should know that the life of the people is in the land, I know you know, and you should tell your neighbor, May health and happiness be with us all.

Koto, Keeper of the ocean, Have a wonderful now

[Who, me ?]

Thank you Buddha, Thank you God, Two hands on the wheel, Two hands on the bike, and a brain to think of what your doing, while your moving at speeds, that can kill you or another, I hope the police, make some baht doing this, their pay sucks, and I hope we all start getting smarter, about driving, smoking, I'm very happy to be living in Thailand as they start to improve the way of life, Now lets start to fine the people that throw garbage on the roads, beaches, storm drains, flick their Toxic Filters, Lets start to educate the people that do not know better, or the people that know better and don't care, We all should know that the life of the people is in the land, I know you know, and you should tell your neighbor, May health and happiness be with us all.

Koto, Keeper of the ocean, Have a wonderful now

amen !

[Tony Clifton]

Thank you Buddha, Thank you God, Two hands on the wheel, Two hands on the bike, and a brain to think of what your doing, while your moving at speeds, that can kill you or another, I hope the police, make some baht doing this, their pay sucks, and I hope we all start getting smarter, about driving, smoking, I'm very happy to be living in Thailand as they start to improve the way of life, Now lets start to fine the people that throw garbage on the roads, beaches, storm drains, flick their Toxic Filters, Lets start to educate the people that do not know better, or the people that know better and don't care, We all should know that the life of the people is in the land, I know you know, and you should tell your neighbor, May health and happiness be with us all.

Koto, Keeper of the ocean, Have a wonderful now

Looking at their behaviour in general, their pay matches what they have to offer to their fellow citizens, CLOSE TO NOTHING.