Transport Agency Seeks Action Against Graft On Thai Highways

[webfact]

Transport agency seeks action against graft on highways

By Prasit Tangprasert

The Nation

Nakhon Ratchasima

The Northeast region's Transporting Truck Association revealed yesterday monthly "highway sticker bribes" of Bt3,000 to Bt4,000 were paid for up to 30 per cent of the cargo trucks.

Meanwhile, the police told the Central Investigation Bureau (CIB) commander to investigate allegations that highway police officers are taking bribes and report back in seven days.

The association president Kwanchai Tiyawanit said the issue of highway police taking bribes from transport companies that wanted to load their trucks beyond the legal limit had emerged over the past two to three years especially in 19 Northeast provinces. It is estimated that such bribes were paid for about 30 per cent or 4,000 to 5,000 of these trucks, he said. He added that this issue was under control during Thaksin Shinawatra's time because of the serious action taken against officials involved. Now, the roads are being damaged and could cost the government about Bt10 billion per year in repairs, he said, adding that it would also encourage the smuggling of illegal items.

Kwanchai said the government should seriously crackdown on this problem before it affected everybody in the business and, in the long term, update laws so they are more in line with current conditions. He said that they would give the authorities seven days to declare a clear policy on the issue or they would mobilise at least 100 trucks in protest.

Meanwhile, assistant national police chief Pol LtGeneral Danaithorn Wongthai said that after 100 or so trucks had been parked in protest outside the Highway Police Command on Wednesday, the police issued an order for the Central Investigation Bureau (CIB) commander to investigate and report back in seven days.

-- The Nation 2011-09-09

[JeffreyMcCollum]

Over weight, over lenght, over width, and simply unsafe to other motorist

they damage the left lane of traffie then drive in the right lane without moving over

And while we are making the highways safer and better, can't something be done about the police check point that stay on the road at all times making a safety hazard as you drive at 119 kph or make bottle necks of traffic for no reason ?

Thailand sends navy ships of to Somali to help fight the pirates, but does nothing about the highway pirates dress as police that extort money to pass for no reason at all except extra pocket money

[Pib]

The Northeast region's Transporting Truck Association revealed yesterday monthly "highway sticker bribes" of Bt3,000 to Bt4,000 were paid for up to 30 per cent of the cargo trucks......Kwanchai said the government should seriously crackdown on this problem before it affected everybody in the business and, in the long term, update laws so they are more in line with current conditions

I don't know....only a 30% corruption/bribe statistic is kinda low by Tha standards....don't expect any real govt action until it reaches 51%. And once it reaches 51% I'm sure police will crack down on themselves to get that corruption/bribe statistic back down to 30%.

[ginjag]

Over weight, over lenght, over width, and simply unsafe to other motorist

they damage the left lane of traffie then drive in the right lane without moving over

And while we are making the highways safer and better, can't something be done about the police check point that stay on the road at all times making a safety hazard as you drive at 119 kph or make bottle necks of traffic for no reason ?

Thailand sends navy ships of to Somali to help fight the pirates, but does nothing about the highway pirates dress as police that extort money to pass for no reason at all except extra pocket money

So we have to accept that near ALL businesses are controlled by the police, whatever form they are. Every day from tuk tuks --jet ski-gambling-love to know annually how much money in bribes are paid to the police- the police are the business - look at the statement on the gambling thread-example-no bribes were taken.

These statements are not to try to deny --they are put out as a big joke to Thai and foreigners alike, because they know no one can touch them, THE UNTOUCHABLES.

[AleG]

Over weight, over lenght, over width, and simply unsafe to other motorist

they damage the left lane of traffie then drive in the right lane without moving over

And while we are making the highways safer and better, can't something be done about the police check point that stay on the road at all times making a safety hazard as you drive at 119 kph or make bottle necks of traffic for no reason ?

Thailand sends navy ships of to Somali to help fight the pirates, but does nothing about the highway pirates dress as police that extort money to pass for no reason at all except extra pocket money

So we have to accept that near ALL businesses are controlled by the police, whatever form they are. Every day from tuk tuks --jet ski-gambling-love to know annually how much money in bribes are paid to the police- the police are the business - look at the statement on the gambling thread-example-no bribes were taken.

These statements are not to try to deny --they are put out as a big joke to Thai and foreigners alike, because they know no one can touch them, THE UNTOUCHABLES.

Not to mention a certain ex police lieutenant colonel pulling the strings of government from afar.

[Thaddeus]

He added that this issue was under control during Thaksin Shinawatra's time because of the serious action taken against officials involved.

Yeah, Ok.

[scorecard]

He added that this issue was under control during Thaksin Shinawatra's time because of the serious action taken against officials involved.

Yeah, Ok.

Agree, doubtful.

[daiwill60]

''The association president Kwanchai Tiyawanit said the issue of highway police taking bribes from transport companies that wanted to load their trucks beyond the legal limit had emerged over the past two to three years especially in 19 Northeast provinces. It is estimated that such bribes were paid for about 30 per cent or 4,000 to 5,000 of these trucks, he said. He added that this issue was under control during Thaksin Shinawatra's time because of the serious action taken against officials involved. Now, the roads are being damaged and could cost the government about Bt10 billion per year in repairs, he said, adding that it would also encourage the smuggling of illegal items.''

SO LET ME GET THIS RIGHT,

1.THE ASSOCIATION PRES IS NOT HAPPY BECAUSE TRUCKERS (WHO ARE OBVIOUSLY NOT MEMBERS OF HIS ASSOC'N) ARE GETTING AWAY WITH OVERLOADING THEIR VEHICLES, AND THAT THIS PRACTICE HAS BEEN GOING ON FOR 2 -3 YEARS IN 19 PROVINCES, BEFORE HE DEMANDED SOMETHING BE DONE ABOUT IT. IS IT A COINCIDENCE THAT HE IS ONLY NOW KICKING OFF BECAUSE HE THINKS THE REDSHIRT WILL ONCE AGAIN BE SYMPATHETIC TO HIS PLIGHT.

2. YES THE ROADS AROUND HERE HAVE VERY RECENTLY SHOWN SIGNS OF SUFFERING, BUT SURELY THAT IS DUE TO THE WAY ROADS ARE ALSO CONSTRUCTED ON A BED OF SAND, AS WELL AS THE VOLUME AND SIZE OF TRAFFIC USING IT.

3. WHICH BIT IS ACTUALLY ENCOURAGING SMUGGLING ? IS IT THE STATE OF THE ROADS OR THE HAVING TO SMUGGLE TO PAY ILLEGAL FINES IN ORDER TO GET HEIR CONTRABAND THROUGH THE CHECKPOINTS THUS REDUCING THE PROFITABILITY OF THESE COVERT OPS??

Kwanchai said the government should seriously crackdown on this problem before it affected everybody in the business and, in the long term, update laws so they are more in line with current conditions. He said that they would give the authorities seven days to declare a clear policy on the issue or they would mobilise at least 100 trucks in protest.

Meanwhile, assistant national police chief Pol LtGeneral Danaithorn Wongthai said that after 100 or so trucks had been parked in protest outside the Highway Police Command on Wednesday, the police issued an order for the Central Investigation Bureau (CIB) commander to investigate and report back in seven days.

4. IT SEEMS THE ONLY WAY TO GET ANYTHING DONE BY THE POLICE, AGAINST PEOPLE WHO ARE OBVIOUSLY PROVIDING A MEANS OF EXTRA INCOME FOR THE POLICE, IS TO BLOCKADE THE POLICE STATIONS, THE POLICE CANNOT THEN GET TO OTHER OPERATIONS THEY CONTROL, TO GET THEIR POCKET MONEY. NOW THERE IS AN IDEA FOR SOMEONE TO SHOW THEM WHO RUNS THE COUNTRY AND WANTS TO END ALL THE ILLEGAL FINES BEING COLLECTED, IN ORDER TO SHOW THIS COUNTRY IS FULL OF MIRACLES FOR TOURISTS TO COME AND WONDER AT!!!!

Edited September 9, 2011 by daiwill60

[plumeria]

Highway payments are as old as the hills.

Truckers have had to pay up or park all night since forever.

What I find surprising is that this "normal" situation is now viewed by anyone as not right.

The transport agency is probably only collectively negotiating better rates for members.

A deal will be made and complaints about the practice will drop off the radar.

That is so funny to see a cop pretend anyone needed to investigate whether highway graft is real! 55555555555555555555555555555555555555555555!

[Gonsalviz]

Over weight, over lenght, over width, and simply unsafe to other motorist

they damage the left lane of traffie then drive in the right lane without moving over

And while we are making the highways safer and better, can't something be done about the police check point that stay on the road at all times making a safety hazard as you drive at 119 kph or make bottle necks of traffic for no reason ?

Thailand sends navy ships of to Somali to help fight the pirates, but does nothing about the highway pirates dress as police that extort money to pass for no reason at all except extra pocket money

You might try driving closer to the speed limit.

[mca]

Meanwhile, the police told the Central Investigation Bureau (CIB) commander to investigate allegations that highway police officers are taking bribes and report back in seven days

That's akin to investigating allegations that the sun rises in the morning.