RFID System In Place To Catch Speeding Vans And Buses: Bangkok

[webfact]

RFID system in place to cut down on crashes

THE NATION

BANGKOK: -- From April 1, the Transport Ministry's Land Transport Department will use RFID technology to catch speeding vans and buses on Bangkok's Don Muang tollway.

An RFID reader has been installed at eight spots on the tollway covering 28 kilometres, Deputy Transport Minister Chatchart Sithipan said yesterday.

SYSTEM TO EXTEND ELSEWHERE

He added that authorities would also be installing similar systems in motorways and highways within the 300km radius of the capital. Pointing out that most accidents resulted from the drivers' recklessness and love for speed, Chatchart said speeding bus and van drivers will be fined Bt5,000 for the first time, and then Bt10,000 if they are caught again.

Police may also confiscate transport permits if speed limits are violated for a second time, he added.

The RFID system involves readers to be installed along the road, while tags are placed on the windscreen of the vehicle.

The reader zooms in on the tag when the vehicle is driven past and calculates to see if the van has been speeding. The department has handed out 833 RFID tags to transport vans in a bid to boost public safety.

Every year up to 900,000 people commute by transport vans, and there are currently 12,000 vans under operation. So far, about 200 vans have been seen sporting the RFID tags.

Meanwhile, the department warned buses or trucks carrying more than 1,200 kilograms to go no faster than 60 kilometres per hour in Bangkok, Pattaya City and municipality areas, and stay within the 80km per hour limit elsewhere.

While cars and motorcycles are not to exceed 90km per hour in general, four- and six-wheelers are not allowed to go beyond 120km per hour on the Bangkok-Pattaya Motorway and Bangkok's Kanchanapisek ring road.

-- The Nation 2012-02-09

[Crossy]

A smart idea, at least there is some effort to reduce the carnage these drivers cause.

BUT

Just how many of these tags will actually be attached to the vehicles (or fitted and disabled). Is there a penalty system in place for not carrying it?

833 tags distributed to cover 12,000 vehicles (I hope they've ordered some more), 200 have actually been installed.

[laurentbkk]

finally some good action .. This morning on my way to the office ( I take the toll way everyday ) a blue bus going to Korat was speeding at over 110km/hour not to mention the different vans driving over 120km/h .... just hope EVERY vans and buses will have this tag in the near future.

[draftvader]

They have a system in Colombia where all public transport vans have an audible speed warning. The result? 7 hours of "beep beep beep beep beep beep beep" as you hurtle on 2 wheels round mountain roads with 800m drops beside you.

Mind you, there are plenty of shrines.....

[Lifer]

They need to do it in the Chiangmai too! These vans and school busses loaded with children speed recklessly around town and on the highways. They are also driving in early morning without lights as if they are trying to save electricity. In the early morning before the sun is actually up the traffic blends in with the horizon so you can't see them coming. They pass at high speed and come over the center line, not only around curves, but on straight stretches.

It is a wonder that more people and school kids aren't killed by these menaces, not to mention the reckless way the red mini vehicles drive. They need to actually get serious about stoipping and taking their licenses away for a while, but as usual, it's just more talk talk talk, and plan to do this, and plan do do that, and nothing is actually done. (or at least for very long).

Edited February 9, 2012 by Lifer

[Insight]

All well and good I guess, although I'll confess I haven't actually read any of the article.

In the UK however we've had a less scientific system in place that has been pretty effective at reducing accidents on the road, and probably runs at a fraction of the cost.

Basically we have these people dressed in a special uniform scattered here and there called "traffic police". What these people do generally is pull over anybody who is driving like a complete fuc_ktard (they would be pretty busy out here), and then establish their reasons for doing so. If their excuses are a bit thin on the ground - as most of them usually are - they would then be handed over to the legal system to deal with which, would often administer some form of penalty based on the severity of their fuc_ktardedness, regardless of social status, wad of cash in wallet or willingness perform fellatio.

Or maybe mafia MP boy Chalerm could issue all cars to be sold shipped with drugs planted inside, and then see how much attention the drivers want to attract from anybody.

[lensta]

A smart idea, at least there is some effort to reduce the carnage these drivers cause.

BUT

Just how many of these tags will actually be attached to the vehicles (or fitted and disabled). Is there a penalty system in place for not carrying it?

833 tags distributed to cover 12,000 vehicles (I hope they've ordered some more), 200 have actually been installed.

Agree 100%, also will the police actually enforce the penalties or just collect tea money from it?

The seat belt issue in these vans needs to be addressed as well. I had catch one of these

suicide vans from Hua Hin to Cha Am last week and all the seat belts were tied around the

grab rail on the back of the seat so they couldn't be used. Why do the drivers/owners of the

vans have a problem with passengers using seat belts?

[Pib]

finally some good action .. This morning on my way to the office ( I take the toll way everyday ) a blue bus going to Korat was speeding at over 110km/hour not to mention the different vans driving over 120km/h .... just hope EVERY vans and buses will have this tag in the near future.

Why do they need RFIDs? These van drivers are professional & safe drivers...just ask them....they don't need monitoring devices to ensure their safe driving....besides, I thought 120km/h was the Professional Van Drivers of Thailand recommended safe cruising speed.

[Soutpeel]

All well and good I guess, although I'll confess I haven't actually read any of the article.

In the UK however we've had a less scientific system in place that has been pretty effective at reducing accidents on the road, and probably runs at a fraction of the cost.

Basically we have these people dressed in a special uniform scattered here and there called "traffic police". What these people do generally is pull over anybody who is driving like a complete fuc_ktard (they would be pretty busy out here), and then establish their reasons for doing so. If their excuses are a bit thin on the ground - as most of them usually are - they would then be handed over to the legal system to deal with which, would often administer some form of penalty based on the severity of their fuc_ktardedness, regardless of social status, wad of cash in wallet or willingness perform fellatio.

Or maybe mafia MP boy Chalerm could issue all cars to be sold shipped with drugs planted inside, and then see how much attention the drivers want to attract from anybody.

[Reasonableman]

It would help if there were some channel for terrified passengers to lodge a complaint about speeding, reckless/dangerous driving, drunk driving, suspected drug use, etc., and for those complaints to be treated seriously and confidentially. I have been on minivan trips where half the passengers just had to avert their eyes due to the reckless, irresponsible driver's behavior, such as tailgating at high speed, changing lanes frequently at high speed, disobeying speed limits. Same goes for some public-private suburban bus trips. Incredibly aggressive driving behaviors that put people's lives in danger daily. And nothing seems to be done to control it.

[visions]

Why dont they just install speed cameras? Much simpler system. Is all computerised including sending the speeding ticket and photo so no local interference in the process. The Govt would soon cover their deficit spending with the revenue gained. And image the 30% graft money that would be available from the purchase and installation contract.

How many van or bus drivers would willingly display their window stickers for the proposed system? It smells of a way to look like the police are doing something.......but really just an additional pocket money scheme.

The big Tour buses obeying the 80kph speed limit is a complete joke. It is so easy to bring the traffic violations under control.......yet there is never any attempt at doing it seriously.

[alfalfa19]

they will simply remove the rfid tags, or find some way to block the signal, or just slow down when they approach one of the 8 checkpoints.

[sjjmmi]

April Fools day joke

[sparebox2]

Put a lead evelope around it. No signal can get through.

[blackthorn2005]

Please sir, can we have some more, for Phuket?

[Bengt]

How about to have more roadblocks for testing drivers under influence of drugs and alcohol?

[Totster]

Hold on, are they really saying that a driver has to voluntarily put a tag in their vehicle that will get them a fine if they speed ???

Why not just tell them that if they notice they are speeding to stop by the nearest policeman and tell them.

totster

[Oli23]

If it's a real thing, I want an update on this. Where this news coming from? The Nation .....

Good thing if happens

Edited February 9, 2012 by Oli23

[Lancashirelad]

Why not just do like in England and fit at least the big the buses with sealed electronic speed limiters?

[lee68]

Its just something that will never happen in this country,ive driven here for 16 years and it gets worse by the year,as more idiot untrained drivers take to the roads,and cause mayhem,and the amount of accidents just pile up all the time.I talk to my neighbors here who are all Thai and they complain about how dangerous the roads are here in chaing mai,at the same time one of them who works for a large car insurance company is teaching his 16 year old daughter to drive,the guy is a terrible driver ive been out with him,i also asked him was he worried in case his daughter had an accident,as she is not old enough to have a car licence,so will not be covered by his insurance,he never answerd that question and wont because that is the real world and most Thais just dont live in it.Im not Thai bashing,thats just the way things are,same as driving here,most Thais drive in planet Thailand,and most do know when they are driving badly,its just the old deny everything attitude,its somebody elses fault.That kills people here everyday.mai pen rai.

[jaapfries]

I wish 'they' would do something to prevent this total moronic van and bus-drivers from ALWAYS driving in the fast-lane, even-though they are obstructing traffic behind them ! ! !

I've lived in Thailand long enough to know that this has to do with "losing face", because God help us if we drive in the "not" fast lane, people might perceive them as being "slow" drivers ! ! !

Super frustrating ! ! !

[localsocalman]

It would help if there were some channel for terrified passengers to lodge a complaint about speeding, reckless/dangerous driving, drunk driving, suspected drug use, etc., and for those complaints to be treated seriously and confidentially. I have been on minivan trips where half the passengers just had to avert their eyes due to the reckless, irresponsible driver's behavior, such as tailgating at high speed, changing lanes frequently at high speed, disobeying speed limits. Same goes for some public-private suburban bus trips. Incredibly aggressive driving behaviors that put people's lives in danger daily. And nothing seems to be done to control it.

You are absolutely right! I'm staggered by the overall aggressive driving behavior of motorists and motorcyclists. I went through the process to get a motorcycle license: the 2 hours of computer training, the exam and then the practical test. Once you get on the road it is --- what happened? Rarely do you see anyone obey laws, signs etc. Automobile drivers drive as if they are a motorcyclist. Splitting lanes and lane changing like crazy for one car length. A red light at a crosswalk means nothing!

[Dancealot]

RFID is a very scary tool, unless everyone is carrying their passport or dl the system will not work. Fingerprints are already being matched to our passports by law. In order to let this system really work we would have to be RFID implanted. Scary stuff, imagine what the 'government' could do with that besides tracking insane drivers in Thailand...

[OzMick]

they will simply remove the rfid tags, or find some way to block the signal, or just slow down when they approach one of the 8 checkpoints.

They are not speed cameras. They measure the time taken to go from point to point, and use the known distance to calculate average speed. But what speed can a passenger van run at if it makes one or two pickup stops?

[OzMick]

RFID is a very scary tool, unless everyone is carrying their passport or dl the system will not work. Fingerprints are already being matched to our passports by law. In order to let this system really work we would have to be RFID implanted. Scary stuff, imagine what the 'government' could do with that besides tracking insane drivers in Thailand...

"Fingerprints are already being matched to our passports by law." Where? My oz e-passport certainly doesn't (AFAIK).

[richard_smith237]

This only targets the 'legal' mini-vans. However most of the mini-vans on the roads are not licensed busses and operate illegal routes and pay the police off.

While its a good start, this system only penalizes those already following the law.

[terryq]

"Fingerprints are already being matched to our passports by law."

Not in my UK passport either. Never provided fingerprints to UK authorities so unless they lifted them from the application form when I last applied for a renewal then they are not in my current passport.

[Dancealot]

RFID is a very scary tool, unless everyone is carrying their passport or dl the system will not work. Fingerprints are already being matched to our passports by law. In order to let this system really work we would have to be RFID implanted. Scary stuff, imagine what the 'government' could do with that besides tracking insane drivers in Thailand...

"Fingerprints are already being matched to our passports by law." Where? My oz e-passport certainly doesn't (AFAIK).

Thailand and The Netherlands, I thought they would make it global. Beware

[Dancealot]

"Fingerprints are already being matched to our passports by law."

Not in my UK passport either. Never provided fingerprints to UK authorities so unless they lifted them from the application form when I last applied for a renewal then they are not in my current passport.

Allow me to extrapolate. The fingerprint is linked to your passport because they can do that with a computer. So you are saying your fingerprints are not in your passport but they remain only on your passport renewal form?

[terryq]

"Fingerprints are already being matched to our passports by law."

Not in my UK passport either. Never provided fingerprints to UK authorities so unless they lifted them from the application form when I last applied for a renewal then they are not in my current passport.

Allow me to extrapolate. The fingerprint is linked to your passport because they can do that with a computer. So you are saying your fingerprints are not in your passport but they remain only on your passport renewal form?

Sorry, forgot the smiley, I did not provide actual prints on the application form. I was suggesting that they might have dusted for latent prints, sorry for confusion.