Protesters cost EXAT 490,000 baht for taking free rides on tollways

[webfact]

Protesters cost EXAT 490,000 baht for taking free rides on tollways

BANGKOK, 7 April 2014 (NNT) - Mr. Aiyanat Tin-Apai, Governor of the Expressway Authority of Thailand (EXAT) indicated that the agency has lost more than 490,000 baht of revenue, thanks to political protesters who have used tollways without paying.

According to the EXAT’s surveillance cameras taken from January 13th to March 31st, protesters violated the Tollway’s regulation by riding 10,657 motorcycles on the expressway and neglecting to pay the fee for their 11,343 cars as well as 1,046 other vehicles with more than 4 wheels.

Mr. Aiyanat said the agency is seeking legal actions against the owners of those vehicles, indicating that the violators are subject to 1 month to 4 years of detention and/or a fine ranging from 1,000 to 8,000 baht depending on the severity of individual's charge.


-- NNT 2014-04-07

[laurentbkk]

Send the bill to thye government , after all they were protesting FOR this government.

[bigbamboo]

I wonder how much more it will 'lose' by bringing 20000 plus court cases?

Still only a drop in the rice pile though.

[winstonc]

why do they presume they are protesters of which ever party..gotta blame someone i suppose

[catterwell]

Gross neglect by EXAT for failing to collect the fees. A case for the courts?

[TVGerry]

490,000 baht? That's a drop in the bucket compared to the hundreds of millions lost by the PTP on the rice scam.

[ramrod711]

Can you imagine a rice farmer, not paid, climbing on the tractor and coming to Bangkok. Once he arrives the government lies to him, tells him to go home, the cheque is in the mail. Once home, he gets a bill for tollway charges. Amazing that there haven't been more suicides.

[Dogmatix]

Gross neglect by EXAT for failing to collect the fees. A case for the courts?

Yes, why didn't they collect the tolls at the time? There is a lot of corruption there that needs to be investigated thoroughly. They are also well known for allowing hangers on of certain influential people to go on the expressways toll free, as well as letting ordinary policemen potter along on their Honda Waves free of charge, even though only Highway Patrol police are allowed to drive motor bikes there. Time for some heads to roll.

[catterwell]

Gross neglect by EXAT for failing to collect the fees. A case for the courts?

Yes, why didn't they collect the tolls at the time? There is a lot of corruption there that needs to be investigated thoroughly. They are also well known for allowing hangers on of certain influential people to go on the expressways toll free, as well as letting ordinary policemen potter along on their Honda Waves free of charge, even though only Highway Patrol police are allowed to drive motor bikes there. Time for some heads to roll.

Clearly case for the NACC, the Supreme Administrative Court, Civil Court, and Criminal Court. Also, did the fact that EXAT didn't waive the fees on election days in any way impede people's right to vote; the EC should investigate. Does a belated attempt to collect fees interfere with the constitutional right to protest? The Ombudsman may consider a petition to the Constitutional Court. Should the negligent toll collectors be impeached?

[WoopyDoo]

What about all the millions they made from the protests forcing all the traffic to take the expressway when they shut down BKK?

Thy are quids in over these protests.

[Mango Bob]

The court has said it's OK, because they are peaceful protesters. They can break the law, no problem.

[Pib]

...violators are subject to 1 month to 4 years of detention and/or a fine ranging from 1,000 to 8,000 baht depending on the severity of individual's charge.

I just love how low the fine is in comparison to the years in prison. I expect life in prison could rate a 20,000 baht fine.

[tomyummer]

No problem. Just raise the tolls so the rest of us will gladly make up for it. Not that it's high already!

Dicks!!

[pisico]

490,000 baht? That's a drop in the bucket compared to the hundreds of millions lost by the PTP on the rice scam.

I guess 2 wrongs make you right.

Screwy logic.

[pisico]

The court has said it's OK, because they are peaceful protesters. They can break the law, no problem.

Correct!! They are above the law and are to be held harmless in any and all consequences of their acts.

It's because they are peaceful protesters, "students", academics and wannabe Ammart. Give them a pass!

Can anyone imagine a world in which all people will think and act that way!!!

[ikke]

490,000 baht? That's a drop in the bucket compared to the hundreds of millions lost by the PTP on the rice scam.

I guess 2 wrongs make you right.

Screwy logic.

Exactly, and when the pro government supporters go wrong, it is spread widely by this Suthep lovers, but if their side is doing wrong, hohoho, we can do whatever we want, because the government was wrong also.....Children's response on children's talk....

[Halion]

Puerile and petty crap from EXAT who make a fortune from their toll fees. Seems everybody in this country wants to take others to court. This article is about as absurd as the idiots that initiated it.

[kkerry]

^{​Friday afternoon heading in to Bangkok on the tollway and wondered why so little traffic on the other side. Then a few motorcycles appeared followed by a fleet of buses and pick-ups, all cruising along in the fast lane. A couple of kms on and there was a large backup of traffic so wouldn't be surprised if the police had blocked the tollway to allow the protesters free passage.}

[ggt]

Good Luck...with collecting those fines...!

[MMarlow]

Send the bill to thye government , after all they were protesting FOR this government.

Doesn't say which protestors.

[MMarlow]

^{​Friday afternoon heading in to Bangkok on the tollway and wondered why so little traffic on the other side. Then a few motorcycles appeared followed by a fleet of buses and pick-ups, all cruising along in the fast lane. A couple of kms on and there was a large backup of traffic so wouldn't be surprised if the police had blocked the tollway to allow the protesters free passage.}

Seems someone else has a fertile imagination. You have to be careful with your posts on here as there are some members who will take your imaginative, baseless suggestion as gospel.

[TVGerry]

490,000 baht? That's a drop in the bucket compared to the hundreds of millions lost by the PTP on the rice scam.

I guess 2 wrongs make you right.

Screwy logic.

Exactly, and when the pro government supporters go wrong, it is spread widely by this Suthep lovers, but if their side is doing wrong, hohoho, we can do whatever we want, because the government was wrong also.....Children's response on children's talk....

I find it pretty amusing that pro red people would use this relatively small amount of money to attack Suthep and the PRDC while so gleefully defending the PTP who lost and stole BILLIONS! But then, I'm a big picture kind of guy.

[Robby nz]

If they can work out who they are going to prosecute for not paying tolls then possibly they can work out who has been shooting and throwing grenades at the protesters from their tollway.

They could then pass the information on to the DSI and...............................................na waste of time.

[catterwell]

Gross neglect by EXAT for failing to collect the fees. A case for the courts?

Yes, why didn't they collect the tolls at the time? There is a lot of corruption there that needs to be investigated thoroughly. They are also well known for allowing hangers on of certain influential people to go on the expressways toll free, as well as letting ordinary policemen potter along on their Honda Waves free of charge, even though only Highway Patrol police are allowed to drive motor bikes there. Time for some heads to roll.

Clearly case for the NACC, the Supreme Administrative Court, Civil Court, and Criminal Court. Also, did the fact that EXAT didn't waive the fees on election days in any way impede people's right to vote; the EC should investigate. Does a belated attempt to collect fees interfere with the constitutional right to protest? The Ombudsman may consider a petition to the Constitutional Court. Should the negligent toll collectors be impeached?

I forgot to add that I have serious concerns about how the Foreign Minister will explain all this to foreign diplomats and to the UN.

[catterwell]

Duplicate deleted, sorry.

Edited April 7, 2014 by catterwell

[kkerry]

^{​Friday afternoon heading in to Bangkok on the tollway and wondered why so little traffic on the other side. Then a few motorcycles appeared followed by a fleet of buses and pick-ups, all cruising along in the fast lane. A couple of kms on and there was a large backup of traffic so wouldn't be surprised if the police had blocked the tollway to allow the protesters free passage.}

Seems someone else has a fertile imagination. You have to be careful with your posts on here as there are some members who will take your imaginative, baseless suggestion as gospel.

So sorry. Clearly all the cars banked up behind a single column of protester traffic motoring along in the outside lane, with no one using the remaining empty lanes to overtake, were simply being polite and gracious road users...

[BeforeTigers]

That's some kind of weird circular logic there.
Perhaps pear-shaped logic.

So, in a normal week, there would be no protestors, therefore, that large weird unnecessary figure would not have existed in any case, no?

So to say that it "cost" the agency anything isn't really accurate.
I believe the term you're looking for is "woulda, coulda, shoulda".

Edited April 7, 2014 by BeforeTigers

[Somrak]

The court has said it's OK, because they are peaceful protesters. They can break the law, no problem.

Correct!! They are above the law and are to be held harmless in any and all consequences of their acts.

It's because they are peaceful protesters, "students", academics and wannabe Ammart. Give them a pass!

Can anyone imagine a world in which all people will think and act that way!!!

The way you are repeat the Reds - Yes

Do you know, that the Reds did not pay 2010 too? :-)

Edited April 7, 2014 by Somrak

[takkatan in the land]

aha! I will get some whistle and some thai flag next time I have to go to chaengwhattana to stamp my visa

[pisico]

The court has said it's OK, because they are peaceful protesters. They can break the law, no problem.

Correct!! They are above the law and are to be held harmless in any and all consequences of their acts.

It's because they are peaceful protesters, "students", academics and wannabe Ammart. Give them a pass!

Can anyone imagine a world in which all people will think and act that way!!!

The way you are repeat the Reds - Yes

Do you know, that the Reds did not pay 2010 too? :-)

Your syntax eludes me. Did I ever mention Reds? They are not the subject of the thread. In case you did not notice: it's the PDRC and protestors the ones not paying the tolls.

I wish I could understand what you are trying to say.

Can you expound on that original idea in my comment and the OP? Thanks!