Bangkok Police Begin Permanent Crackdown On Traffic Violations

[webfact]

Police Begin Permanent Crackdown on Traffic Violations

BANGKOK: -- The Bangkok police began a campaign to crack down on traffic violations on yesterday (August 16), recording 211 citations on its first day.

The Traffic Police Force commenced a campaign to crack down on traffic violations in an attempt to curb congestion and accidents on 15 major routes in Bangkok.

The police have been conducting a warning campaign since July 16. On the first day of the crackdown on yesterday (August 16), 211 traffic citations were handed out.

Sixty-six traffic citations were given at Ratchadamnoen Road, the highest number of all routes, followed by Arun Amarin Road with 28 citations, Rama III Road with 23 citations, Ratchadapisek Road with 14 citations, and Phaholyothin Road with 12 citations. Most citations were given for parking violations.

The campaign will be conducted permanently, especially during rush hours, in order to facilitate traffic flow and promote good driving behavior.

Among the most common traffic violations committed are red light violations, traffic blocking, overtaking in tight areas, one-way traffic violations, driving on pedestrian walkways, and parking violations. All citations carry a maximum fine of 1,000 baht.

-- Tan Network 2010-08-17

[Thai at Heart]

"Permenant Crackdown".

Ummmmm. So this translates as doing their job?

[Just1Voice]

Translation - "A permanent and steady flow of income".

[cougar52]

The Fines carry a max of 1,000 Baht WOW, at this rate 211,000 a day over 6 million a month, even if you half the fine that's a lot of cash in one month.

[scorecard]

So if these items are serious problems, why is there not an ongoing several pronged education campaign to teach people better driving habits, especially at high school, along with rationale to show the public that better driving habits would benefit all.

In my several decades in Thailand I have asked many Thai drivers how they learned the 'rules of the road'. More often than not the answer reveals that they have in fact never learned the rules of the road, and don't know the answers to specific questions about who has the right of way in various circumstances.

One specific case in point is my Thai son who, about 10 years back, enrolled at a local small driving school in the suburbs of Bkk. He asked the school if the tuition included learning the rules of the road. The managers response was that 'there are no actual rules, you just fight your way through the traffic'. My son knew very well that there are rules (laws) so he then asked if the school had any books, handouts etc., about the subject. The manager then got angry and told my son strongly 'there are no rules, so how can there be a book?' He did a quick search of book shops and found several books on the subject.

At the first lesson, he had never been behind the wheel of a car before, the 'instructor' told my son to back an old large battered pick-up truck out of the premises. This needed quite some skill to navigate backwards through several other vehicles etc. After being yelled at numerous times by the 'instructor' my son turned the ignition off, got out of the vehicle and walked out. He never returned, school made no attempt to contact him. From memory about 6,000Baht down the drain.

Edited August 17, 2010 by scorecard

[screamingeagle]

Sir. You can either go to the police station to pay, one hour away, or pay me. Looks like the BIB are upgrading their condominiums!!!!

[junglist]

There are rules. No one cares to fallow them. Thai Driving style is Dog eat Dog then slow down so you can get a better look at the carnage (accident)…

[DP25]

They really need to figure out a way to stop people from driving in the bus only lane on the BRT. Tickets may not be enough, they should install metal bars that spring up out of the ground after the bus drives by like they have in some cities. Getting their car ruined may be the only way to teach some people.

[RedNIvar]

The Fines carry a max of 1,000 Baht WOW, at this rate 211,000 a day over 6 million a month, even if you half the fine that's a lot of cash in one month.

This small change goes to government.

Lets say there are in Bangkok about 1million vehicles. 211 citations, that is 0.0211%. Seriously that is all when they make an effort.

I'm sure there are at least 3 or 4 times this number that just pay off the cops.

Well Thai traffic law encourages corruption. They just do not issue you a citation, they also take your licence away. The last I checked they are not supposed to take your licence away from you. They do this to encourage you to bribe them.

[bifftastic]

They really need to figure out a way to stop people from driving in the bus only lane on the BRT. Tickets may not be enough, they should install metal bars that spring up out of the ground after the bus drives by like they have in some cities. Getting their car ruined may be the only way to teach some people.

In London, the buses have cameras in them, if you get snapped in a bus lane the ticket drops through your letter box (£100). When they were first introduced most people ignored the restriction and drove down them but after a while, and some education (fines and a big poster on the back of the bus) people got the message. We also get coppers doing what's shown in this photo, stepping out into bus lanes and pulling drivers over. Now, people stay out of them, So it depends how serious the authorities are about it and needs the infrastructure that goes with it, like the ability to identify an owner from the number plate, send the ticket out and follow it up if it's not paid.

I've never heard of the metal bar thing before, sounds like a good deterrent but would block the bus lane when it caught a car!

[Pib]

The Fines carry a max of 1,000 Baht WOW, at this rate 211,000 a day over 6 million a month, even if you half the fine that's a lot of cash in one month.

This small change goes to government.

Lets say there are in Bangkok about 1million vehicles. 211 citations, that is 0.0211%. Seriously that is all when they make an effort.

I'm sure there are at least 3 or 4 times this number that just pay off the cops.

Well Thai traffic law encourages corruption. They just do not issue you a citation, they also take your licence away. The last I checked they are not supposed to take your licence away from you. They do this to encourage you to bribe them.

That's a 1000 Baht "max"; from my oun personal experience and stories from my Thai and farang friends, the ticket average is probably around 400 Baht (officially or unofficially).

[Soutpeel]

Translation - "A permanent and steady flow of income".

"campaign will be conducted permanently".....if a campaign is conducted permanently would it really be a campaign ??

[Wozzit]

The Fines carry a max of 1,000 Baht WOW, at this rate 211,000 a day over 6 million a month, even if you half the fine that's a lot of cash in one month.

Can any legal mind tell me why many countries list "maximum" fines? Surely it is far more of a deterrent to list both a minimum and a maximum. WIth the minimum, you always know you'll be stung at least for that. WIth a maximum, it could be anything!

Edited August 17, 2010 by Wozzit

[tombkk]

Sir. You can either go to the police station to pay, one hour away, or pay me. Looks like the BIB are upgrading their condominiums!!!!

I just got a ticket by mail. OK, it was outside of Bangkok and from the Highway Police, but it was a speeding ticket nevertheless.

This is new. I have been stopped by the nice policeman on occasions, but they have now upgraded to international standard. I have paid the fine via Post Office and am glad that this ow works with official reciepts.

[tombkk]

There are rules. No one cares to fallow them. Thai Driving style is Dog eat Dog then slow down so you can get a better look at the carnage (accident)…

Of course there are rules, and they are being taught. I don't know when they started this, but when I renew my driver's licence earlier this year, I had to attend a mandatory 2-hour teaching lesson - theory only, no driving, and no test. But still, an improvement, and I learned some things I didn't know before. Example: If there are three lanes in one direction, you can overtake at any lane.

[jackr]

The campaign will be conducted permanently, especially during rush hours, in order to facilitate traffic flow and promote good driving behavior.

:lol:

After being yelled at numerous times by the 'instructor' my son turned the ignition off, got out of the vehicle and walked out. He never returned, school made no attempt to contact him. From memory about 6,000Baht down the drain.

Did he at least not get a punch in?

[gemini81]

only 211?!?!

I hope, one day, probably in space age time, the shoulder of the highway will be freed up and enforced when drivers move over there just to pass (the vans and taxis) , if there truly is an emergency, it quickly turns into crisis in which you can't utilize the shoulder. Though quite adaptable, I still can't accept people cutting over 4 lanes in on-coming traffic to get over to the other side. When in Rome they say..but for me, safety first.

[tombkk]

only 211?!?!

I hope, one day, probably in space age time, the shoulder of the highway will be freed up and enforced when drivers move over there just to pass (the vans and taxis) , if there truly is an emergency, it quickly turns into crisis in which you can't utilize the shoulder. Though quite adaptable, I still can't accept people cutting over 4 lanes in on-coming traffic to get over to the other side. When in Rome they say..but for me, safety first.

I have witnessed quite a number of times that people do let rescue vehicles through.

Without any emergency, the lane that is called the emergency lane in the West is indeed being used for normal traffic in Bangkok, especially in the rush hour. Over here, we simply cannot afford to leave a good lane all unused in a situation where there is not enough road space available anyway. If you drive up on the first-stage express way from the South towards Petchburi exit, you will have noticed the yellow signs that clearly say that four lanes should be used (unless you are illiterate and don't read Thai).

There is no oncoming traffic on the express way, and cutting across four lanes is illegal even in Thailand. I'm not seeing your point.

Edited August 17, 2010 by tombkk

[kuffki]

In what civilized country in the world, people can drive without license, get pulled over pay a tiny $17 and keep driving without a license????

Putting aside that even drivers with license do not have much clue of road rules and actually know how to drive (ever watched a Thai do a reverse parking?) but the ones without a license even lack any common sense.

So rather then perm crackdown, how about proper education and take those without license off the road -full stop.

Not to mention, never ending red light runners, drunk drivers after 9pm and every other Dick, Tom and Harry, who have no clue what road rules means.

PS. Almost forgot to add the 10 year old bike riders who can hardly touch the pedals, yet not only they drive with no problems, no helmet, 5 of them on the bike and should they hit you or cause an accident-you are at fault

Edited August 17, 2010 by kuffki

[metroman]

Narvana for a Bangkok driver is to pass the car in front and find a parking spot.

[LuckyLew]

It will be a very hard and long process to get most Thai drivers to change their driving habits

IMO - this is only a crackdown that will soon be dropped

I find it funny that some of the biggest culprits are the BIB's themselves

[salty]

Every time a crackdown is introduced it is almost certain to be a flavour of the month and soon forgotten. I wonder what has happened since the crackdown on yielding to pedestrians at crossings was introduced about six months ago?

[hoaker]

211 citations out of 1000 has been given out and additional 78,900 Baht earned.... Yes thats the way to promote good driving is to try and issue citations, but forget the ridiculous driving test at the tranportation bureau where your the only one on a track, no motorbikes around, no cars, no signs, try to squeeze through a bunch of cones and voila here is your lifetime drivers license. What happened to the real tests on real roads?? Even with REAL citations given out, people here are never going to change their behavior because they have no courtesy and regard for other people who use the same roads, citations won't stop them maybe revocation or suspension might, but the point system and outlined motorbike standby areas at traffic lights never worked so, how is this going to make a difference?

[Motoon]

About time rules are being enforced although the "permanent" part seems unlikely

[TCW]

It will be a very hard and long process to get most Thai drivers to change their driving habits

IMO - this is only a crackdown that will soon be dropped

I find it funny that some of the biggest culprits are the BIB's themselves

Agreed. They are they appalling drivers in Bangkok, and i often see unhelmeted poice on morotbikes. But I wonder does the crackdown on traffic violations also include a crackdown on corruption in taking traffic backhanders? I rather think not.

[mausplan]

While anyone who drives here has a war chest full of stories , it is clear that things are changing slowly for the better. When I first started driving here a decade ago I asked why people don't use indicators when changing lanes and I was told never ever do that that as people will just close up to block you and the right way is just to pull into the lane you want and never ever look at the other driver.

Nowday's , the majority of drivers in central Bangkok use indicators , even taxis now.

Now , if someone can come up with a plan to get Officer Somchai and his mates out of their boxes and turn on the automatic lights together with monster fines for jumping red lights we might seem some improvement.

Sometimes though , you have to laugh at the BIB, One Sunday some years ago on Rama 6 , I came to an 4 way intersection with a red light, I noticed the lights in the opposite direction were also red so there was cars in all four directions idling away , puzzled drivers looking around and everyone wondering who would be first to jump the lights. Time passed and then Office Plod, a definite size 40plus came waddling across the intersection , newspaper tucked under his arm, he realised about half way across that there were cars in every direction , no doubt because he felt the evil thoughts of a 1000 frustrated drivers glaring at him. He looked around and then gave a very nice deep wai in every direction and scurried to his box , reached in and pressed a button and released the trapped hordes. TIT

[Piengrudee]

Now I prefer to have the RED protest. No police can be seen on the street during those good old days.

[DP25]

Now I prefer to have the RED protest. No police can be seen on the street during those good old days.

Yeah, traffic was so much better when mobs were blockading major streets and funneling all their traffic in to other already overcrowded streets.

[scorecard]

I guess this means that the mob of police outside my condo openly extorting cash from 90% of the motor cycle riders will now operate 7 days a week instead of 6.