New traffic law to empower Thai police to suspend car use

[webfact]

New traffic law to empower police to suspend car use



BANGKOK: -- The Royal Thai Police has proposed an amendment to the land traffic law to empower traffic police to suspend the use of the vehicle in case of traffic offence and traffic ticket is issued but is ignored and left unpaid.

This was revealed by Pol Lt-Gen Prawuthi Thavornsiri, spokesperson of the Royal Thai Police.

He said the amendment to the traffic law has already been put forward to the National Legislative Assembly for consideration.

Once it is approved and comes into force, the law would help enhance discipline of motorists, reduce arguments between motorists and traffic police, and address traffic problems.

He said at present there are 400-500 hot spots in Bangkok where motorists regularly break traffic rules including riding motorbike crossing flyovers which is not allowed, and parking at restricted areas.

In case of these violations and traffic tickets are issued, the amended law allows traffic police to suspend the use of a vehicle if motorist repeats the same offence within one year or fails to pay traffic ticket.

The spokesman said under the amended version of the traffic law, traffic police will have three channels to send a ticket to a motorist for a traffic offence.

Police can attach the ticket on the vehicle, hand it over to the law offender right on the spot, or send it via mail service.

He said in the ticket, it will state a timeframe for which the motorist or car owner is required to pay the fine.

If violator fails to pay the ticket within the timeframe, police will be able to suspend the use of the vehicle.

The owner of the vehicle then will not be able to renew the annual car registration at the Land Transport Department and use of vehicle beb suspended until traffic ticket is paid, he said.

Payment of the tickets could be made at convenient store or other channels to be determined by the police chief, he said.

Source: http://englishnews.thaipbs.or.th/new-traffic-law-to-empower-police-to-suspend-car-use


-- Thai PBS 2015-02-26

[Costas2008]

That sounds good.

But please do it, not only talk about it.......as usual.

[khwaibah]

Key word "PROPOSED"

Edited February 26, 2015 by khwaibah

[ratcatcher]

"He said at present there are 400-500 hot spots in Bangkok where motorists regularly break traffic rules including riding motorbike crossing flyovers which is not allowed, and parking at restricted areas.'

That's right, deal with the important offenses, never mind the speeders, red light jumpers or sidewalk riders. Up here in Pathum Thani, a cop is a rare sight unless they are grouping to catch helmet-less mo'cy riders in a tunnel or under a bridge.

Get more boots on the ground khun Prawuti. You will be thanked.

[clockman]

Many laws in Thailand. But enforcing them, forget!

[smutcakes]

To do this would they need to computerize the whole system?

So when they stop someone they can run the plate through their system and see if they have any unpaid fines, or they are being caught for a repeat offence?

[wxpwzrd]

Actually first, they would need to write tickets.

[barry51]

I would like to see it go further stoped at check point

No driving licence car impounded

No insurance car impounded

Not road worthy car impounded

car or motorbike only returned when all legal requirements are met.

They would need a bloody big impound yard.

[LuckyLew]

Irrelevant ammendmant ... since when did anyone here need a license to drive?

[WhizBang]

So, how to 'ignore' this new proposed law?

200 baht? 500? 1000? The devil is in the enforcing of any law here in Thailand.

[robblok]

"He said at present there are 400-500 hot spots in Bangkok where motorists regularly break traffic rules including riding motorbike crossing flyovers which is not allowed, and parking at restricted areas.'

That's right, deal with the important offenses, never mind the speeders, red light jumpers or sidewalk riders. Up here in Pathum Thani, a cop is a rare sight unless they are grouping to catch helmet-less mo'cy riders in a tunnel or under a bridge.

Get more boots on the ground khun Prawuti. You will be thanked.

I seriously get anoyed with those flyovers where motorbikes are not allowed. Its a pain in the ass for no real reason at all.

Near where I live you can take the flyover one way.. but not the way back.. crazy. Its not motorbikes that hold up traffic.. it never is. Just an outdated law same as the law that tells motorbikes to stay on the left (deathlane). I can understand it for those meals on wheels motorbikes.. but regular ones.. and big ones like me that go much faster as cars.

Let them go after red light jumpers.. but that is too much work for them. I think anyone agrees red light jumpers are a risk.. but you NEVER see them go after that. They go after easy cash.

[PatOngo]

If BS was music..............................................

[bapoboy]

That sounds good.

But please do it, not only talk about it.......as

NO, no, no and no !!!

[smedly]

Might be a good idea to have everyone and every vehicle properly licenced and registered first - it is fine passing around all these ideas but the basics need to be in place and properly enforced - one of these critical fundamentals is having the ability to identify a vehicle and who owns it

The problem in Thailand is that policing is reactive and not proactive, they need to realise that enforcing the law is not a partime or clampdown activity - it needs to be consistently enforced 100% of the time.

[bapoboy]

I would like to see it go further stoped at check point

No driving licence car impounded

No insurance car impounded

Not road worthy car impounded

car or motorbike only returned when all legal requirements are met.

They would need a bloody big impound yard.

go home.....

[Fiddlesticks]

I can vividly remember the last time that I saw a Thai policeman stop someone who ran a red light. It was when a herd of pigs flew over Chiang Rai!

I can remember the last time I saw a driver here in Thailand pulled over for speeding. It was the day that my feet got very cold because hell had frozen over!

I can remember the last time I saw a Thai policeman ticket someone for illegally passing another motorist. It was during the last purple moon!

I'm sure I will remember the first time I see a Thai policeman enforce this new law. I will be ruler of all of Thailand!

[Briggsy]

Anyone using a motorbike in or around Bangkok is stopped on a regular basis, sometimes 4 times a day. The police have money spots, flyovers are one of them. There are 3 outcomes, 1) allowed to go on one's way, 2) pay and go, 3) receive a ticket.

The police will often steer the rider to the police's preferable outcome on that day. e.g. If the stop is focussed on drugs, they will simply check the licence, gauge for drugs and then finish the check if they think there are no drugs.

If they have been ordered to collect cash, they will aim for option 2.

If they go for option 3, riders are given 7 days to pay. This effectively means they are free to break all traffic laws for the next 7 days using the ticket as the magic card to ward off all further fines.

I am guessing but in this rather vague proposal, I think the police will use the fact that a driver or rider is still producing a ticket instead of a licence as the trigger for suspension of vehicle use.

I also believe there is no way the police could enforce this with the current level of integration and information technology between the Land Transport Dept. and individual police stations.

Does anyone remember the points system for driving licences that was introduced a few years ago. That was also just a load of hot air.

[robblok]

Anyone using a motorbike in or around Bangkok is stopped on a regular basis, sometimes 4 times a day. The police have money spots, flyovers are one of them. There are 3 outcomes, 1) allowed to go on one's way, 2) pay and go, 3) receive a ticket.

The police will often steer the rider to the police's preferable outcome on that day. e.g. If the stop is focussed on drugs, they will simply check the licence, gauge for drugs and then finish the check if they think there are no drugs.

If they have been ordered to collect cash, they will aim for option 2.

If they go for option 3, riders are given 7 days to pay. This effectively means they are free to break all traffic laws for the next 7 days using the ticket as the magic card to ward off all further fines.

I am guessing but in this rather vague proposal, I think the police will use the fact that a driver or rider is still producing a ticket instead of a licence as the trigger for suspension of vehicle use.

I also believe there is no way the police could enforce this with the current level of integration and information technology between the Land Transport Dept. and individual police stations.

Does anyone remember the points system for driving licences that was introduced a few years ago. That was also just a load of hot air.

Personally I don't mind a ticket.. I just mind the hassle of finding a police station and paying it. I drive on the right (left lane is too dangerous and my bike goes fast enough to be on the left). I know I am wrong and if caught I pay up without problems. I think its outdated especially for a 650cc bike. The problem is that sometimes you have to pay the fine at a police station and you have no idea where it is. I prefer to pay the fine on the spot (even the full fine no need to bribe them) but unfortunately that is not always possible.

I heard somewhere you could pay fines at the post office.. not sure about the truth of the matter.

[SABloke]

"He said at present there are 400-500 hot spots in Bangkok where motorists regularly break traffic rules including riding motorbike crossing flyovers which is not allowed, and parking at restricted areas.'

That's right, deal with the important offenses, never mind the speeders, red light jumpers or sidewalk riders. Up here in Pathum Thani, a cop is a rare sight unless they are grouping to catch helmet-less mo'cy riders in a tunnel or under a bridge.

Get more boots on the ground khun Prawuti. You will be thanked.

I seriously get anoyed with those flyovers where motorbikes are not allowed. Its a pain in the ass for no real reason at all.

Near where I live you can take the flyover one way.. but not the way back.. crazy. Its not motorbikes that hold up traffic.. it never is. Just an outdated law same as the law that tells motorbikes to stay on the left (deathlane). I can understand it for those meals on wheels motorbikes.. but regular ones.. and big ones like me that go much faster as cars.

Let them go after red light jumpers.. but that is too much work for them. I think anyone agrees red light jumpers are a risk.. but you NEVER see them go after that. They go after easy cash.

"Its not motorbikes that hold up traffic.. it never is" - I have to disagree Rob. I agree the left-lane rule is bs as is the overpass rule, BUT driving on the lane markings is also illegal and when bikes do so it DOES slow up traffic. There are countless times where I (or a car in front of me has) have had to come to an almost complete stop to change into the correct lane for turning due to the 'snake' of bikes flying along the lane markings: All opportunities for getting into the right lane disappear as one has to wait for the bikes....when they're gone so is the gap and you wait again. I ride a bike aswell, I drive in my lane and overtake legally. If I happen to find myself in traffic and take the faster route I always yield to cars indicating since I know I am technically in the wrong and appreciate how <deleted> annoying bikes can be on BKK's roads.

[Sviss Geez]

Irrelevant ammendmant ... since when did anyone here need a license to drive?

Irrelevant comment, this is nothing to do with suspending licences.

[HooHaa]

I would like to see it go further stoped at check point

No driving licence car impounded

No insurance car impounded

Not road worthy car impounded

car or motorbike only returned when all legal requirements are met.

They would need a bloody big impound yard.

so how would you fix an impounded unroadworthy car?

properly enforcing the fines is a start, impounds are pointless if the tickets are being written.

[HooHaa]

Irrelevant ammendmant ... since when did anyone here need a license to drive?

Irrelevant comment, this is nothing to do with suspending licences.

far from it, it speaks directly to the greater issue. you can drive indefinitely here without even having a licence, how will impounding vehicles change that when the most basic of traffic rules are not properly enforced?

i rode a motorcycle in bangkok for 10 years without a licence - once even collecting insurance money for an accident i was not at fault in. Nobody even thought to ask to see my license.

[robblok]

"He said at present there are 400-500 hot spots in Bangkok where motorists regularly break traffic rules including riding motorbike crossing flyovers which is not allowed, and parking at restricted areas.'

That's right, deal with the important offenses, never mind the speeders, red light jumpers or sidewalk riders. Up here in Pathum Thani, a cop is a rare sight unless they are grouping to catch helmet-less mo'cy riders in a tunnel or under a bridge.

Get more boots on the ground khun Prawuti. You will be thanked.

I seriously get anoyed with those flyovers where motorbikes are not allowed. Its a pain in the ass for no real reason at all.

Near where I live you can take the flyover one way.. but not the way back.. crazy. Its not motorbikes that hold up traffic.. it never is. Just an outdated law same as the law that tells motorbikes to stay on the left (deathlane). I can understand it for those meals on wheels motorbikes.. but regular ones.. and big ones like me that go much faster as cars.

Let them go after red light jumpers.. but that is too much work for them. I think anyone agrees red light jumpers are a risk.. but you NEVER see them go after that. They go after easy cash.

"Its not motorbikes that hold up traffic.. it never is" - I have to disagree Rob. I agree the left-lane rule is bs as is the overpass rule, BUT driving on the lane markings is also illegal and when bikes do so it DOES slow up traffic. There are countless times where I (or a car in front of me has) have had to come to an almost complete stop to change into the correct lane for turning due to the 'snake' of bikes flying along the lane markings: All opportunities for getting into the right lane disappear as one has to wait for the bikes....when they're gone so is the gap and you wait again. I ride a bike aswell, I drive in my lane and overtake legally. If I happen to find myself in traffic and take the faster route I always yield to cars indicating since I know I am technically in the wrong and appreciate how <deleted> annoying bikes can be on BKK's roads.

never is is maybe a bit strong as there are always idiots. I know that I drive ok. I would yield to cars indicating.. only its so rare to see anyone indicating im shocked when I see it

But i seriously feel bad at times when riding a bike because I am breaking rules. I went to nakom pathom from BKK recently. I constantly got steered upon the middle road for a bit then forced of it by signs and later on forced on it again (no more road). It was just crazy. So on the way back I ignored it all stayed on the middle road with the speed of traffic (and faster) . But I knew that I could be pulled over and ticketed. That made me a bit nervous.. not because of the ticket.. but the fact that i might have to sacrifice an hour or 2 looking for a police station to pay a ticket.

Edited February 26, 2015 by robblok

[Sviss Geez]

Personally I don't mind a ticket.. I just mind the hassle of finding a police station and paying it. I drive on the right (left lane is too dangerous and my bike goes fast enough to be on the left). I know I am wrong and if caught I pay up without problems. I think its outdated especially for a 650cc bike. The problem is that sometimes you have to pay the fine at a police station and you have no idea where it is. I prefer to pay the fine on the spot (even the full fine no need to bribe them) but unfortunately that is not always possible.

I heard somewhere you could pay fines at the post office.. not sure about the truth of the matter.

Why you think that a bike with an larger internal engine capacity should be exempt from certain laws (apart from the fact that you own one, as you keep emphasising for some reason), that is just sheer nonsense. You seem to cite speed but even the smallest engined motorbike is easily able to match and exceed the normal speed of everyday traffic. Presumably you would also exempt cars with big engines from the same laws that apply to small engined cars?

There should be no problem ever paying a fine at a police station, if you're in an area that you are unfamiliar with when you get a ticket you can nominate a police station in any other area that you are familiar with at which to pay your fine.

[Sviss Geez]

Irrelevant ammendmant ... since when did anyone here need a license to drive?

Irrelevant comment, this is nothing to do with suspending licences.

far from it, it speaks directly to the greater issue. you can drive indefinitely here without even having a licence, how will impounding vehicles change that when the most basic of traffic rules are not properly enforced?

i rode a motorcycle in bangkok for 10 years without a licence - once even collecting insurance money for an accident i was not at fault in. Nobody even thought to ask to see my license.

It's not "far from it". This is about a proposal to restrict the physical use of a vehicle, not about licencing, whether or not you think licencing is the greater (off topic) issue.

[robblok]

Personally I don't mind a ticket.. I just mind the hassle of finding a police station and paying it. I drive on the right (left lane is too dangerous and my bike goes fast enough to be on the left). I know I am wrong and if caught I pay up without problems. I think its outdated especially for a 650cc bike. The problem is that sometimes you have to pay the fine at a police station and you have no idea where it is. I prefer to pay the fine on the spot (even the full fine no need to bribe them) but unfortunately that is not always possible.

I heard somewhere you could pay fines at the post office.. not sure about the truth of the matter.

Why you think that a bike with an larger internal engine capacity should be exempt from certain laws (apart from the fact that you own one, as you keep emphasising for some reason), that is just sheer nonsense. You seem to cite speed but even the smallest engined motorbike is easily able to match and exceed the normal speed of everyday traffic. Presumably you would also exempt cars with big engines from the same laws that apply to small engined cars?

There should be no problem ever paying a fine at a police station, if you're in an area that you are unfamiliar with when you get a ticket you can nominate a police station in any other area that you are familiar with at which to pay your fine.

If that is the case I am fine with it no problem. I did not know that hat was possible. I accept I am breaking the law.. Are you sure about being able to pay at other police stations ? If so my problem is solved as I really have no problem with the fine. Because I know I am wrong.

And I just feel the whole left and flyover thing for all bikes is crazy (except sam lors). Staying in the left lane is dangerous.. every bus / taxi / minivan cuts you off to stop there. As for the flyovers.. its also crazy.. as I said we have one in the neighborhood.. one way its allowed.. but coming back its not.. just crazy. I also drive a scooter (and a car)

[Robby nz]

It would seem they already have the power to confiscate motorbikes. Have a look round the back of your local cop shop you may see something like this :

Some of these have been there for years others are quite recent.

Be a good boy Robblok yours could be a new addition to the collection.

[Thaddeus]

Its not motorbikes that hold up traffic.. it never is.

No, that few dozen that squeeze themselves between me and the red light I am waiting at have no effect at all.

[robblok]

Its not motorbikes that hold up traffic.. it never is.

No, that few dozen that squeeze themselves between me and the red light I am waiting at have no effect at all.

Yes it might delay you a few seconds, but I can assure you if they all used cars you would have been delayed far more. Car use should be less and more bikes.. would be so much better for BKK traffic. Nobody can deny that.

[FangFerang]

The department of motor vehicles does not have computerized license records for two good reasons. One, influential people would show up on the radar with unregistered imports. Two, it would prevent graft, and at policeman's pay (so low many have to buy their own gun and motorcycle) no one could afford to be a cop.

Revoking the licenses sounds like a good idea, but they do not even have unique plate numbers, to make the whole mess even less transparent. I can have a plate with the exact same number as someone in Surin, with the only difference being the very small Thai writing that identifies the issuing Amphur.

The whole system is deliberately rigged and everyone knows it.