Phuket police play down ‘blank cheque’ traffic tickets

[webfact]

Phuket police play down ‘blank cheque’ traffic tickets
Tanyaluk Sakoot


Phuket police say they will fine all drivers - foreign, Thai, rich or poor - for breaking traffic laws. Photo: Tanyaluck Sakoot

PHUKET: -- Provincial Police Commander Patchara Boonyasit has played down a social media firestorm over a Thai man being issued a traffic ticket with the amounts left blank, to be filled in later at the Phuket City Police Station.

“This is a small issue, and I believe our officers acted appropriately,” he told The Phuket News.

The news broke late last week as postings went viral on Thai-language social media over one man being fined B1,300.

Pol Col Sien Keawthong of the Phuket City Police explained that the uproar involved a man, whom he chose not to identify, driving a motorbike on September 19.

“This man was charged for not wearing a helmet, driving without a license and driving an unregistered vehicle. Also, his passenger was not wearing a helmet. The fines totalled B1,300,” he said.

“While the police officer was writing the ticket, the man pleaded for the fine to be waived as he said he was a poor student with very little money, so the officer filled in the ticket, but loeft the amount to be paid blank so the student could make his case at the police station.

“In the end, police chose to fine him only B500,” Pol Col Sien said. “The man confessed to all four infringements. He accepted that he had learned his lesson and said that he was grateful to be let off with a warning.”

Pol Col Sien took the opportunity to point out that the driver of a motorcycle will be held legally responsible for any passengers not wearing a helmet.

“This applies to Thais and foreigners, including tourists. If the passenger doesn’t wear a helmet, the driver must pay the fine. People must take more care when they on motorbikes, or in any other vehicles,” he said.

Pol Maj Gen Pachara concurred: “If you intend to drive a vehicle in Thailand, there are several laws driving that are useful to know,” he said.

“This applies to tourists and foreigners. Phuket police will not allow any exceptions, as everyone is the same under the law.”

Source: http://www.thephuketnews.com/phuket-police-play-down-blank-cheque-traffic-tickets-54301.php


-- Phuket News 2015-09-29

[fritzzz25]

Seems to apply to the "red bull family" man, the "half British" actress, etc etc. Is the chief "Monty Hall" and they come dressed up in a costume to lay "let's make a deal"?

You couldn't find a comedy writer to do better stories than the RTP produces. Dear Mr PM, its time to invoke s.44 on the RTP and disband and create a police force your country can be proud of.....

Edited September 28, 2015 by fritzzz25

[stevenl]

I don't see the problem here, presuming he paid 500 baht and got a receipt for 500 baht.

Edited September 28, 2015 by stevenl

[IamNoone88]

Seems fair enough.

[Khun Paul]

Might apply in Phuket however in Udon Thani they blithely wave through checkpoints students three/ four up with not a helmet between them but stop a foreigner riding alone with no helmet. Go figure.

[Tatsujin]

Might apply in Phuket however in Udon Thani they blithely wave through checkpoints students three/ four up with not a helmet between them but stop a foreigner riding alone with no helmet. Go figure.

A foreigner is inherently more dangerous that a local simply because we don't understand Thainess and are therefore more likely to be involved in traffic incidents whilst out riding, putting the locals into even more danger than they are already in. Oh, and all foreigners are rich and therefore of course should be made to pay more than the locals for the same offence. Simple Thai logic.

[maidee]

did the guy arrive again with his non registered no licence bike & drove off afterwards?

[soalbundy]

I don't see the problem here, presuming he paid 500 baht and got a receipt for 500 baht.

You want a receipt ? that will be 1,300 Baht then.

[soalbundy]

All equal under the law, rich or poor

[stevenl]

I don't see the problem here, presuming he paid 500 baht and got a receipt for 500 baht.

You want a receipt ? that will be 1,300 Baht then.

Bs, unless you can show us differently. And there is nothing in this story to indicate what you're claiming. Edited September 29, 2015 by stevenl

[FangFerang]

I don't see the problem here, presuming he paid 500 baht and got a receipt for 500 baht.

You want a receipt ? that will be 1,300 Baht then.

Bs, unless you can show us differently. And there is nothing in this story to indicate what you're claiming.

It was a tongue-in cheek comment, based on historically valid allusion. Or do you think the system is linear? (In which case you need sedatives.)

[soalbundy]

I don't see the problem here, presuming he paid 500 baht and got a receipt for 500 baht.

You want a receipt ? that will be 1,300 Baht then.

Bs, unless you can show us differently. And there is nothing in this story to indicate what you're claiming.

That's the normal way of doing it. '' It should be 400 Baht sir, he said, slipping his clip board through the window with his twitching hand underneath, but i can make it quick for you for 200 Baht, OK''

Edited September 29, 2015 by soalbundy

[Searat7]

I live in Silom.....95% of the moto taxi's passengers do not wear helmets and based on my experience they are rarely offered by the drivers.....but no police here to enforce this important law.

[dotpoom]

Seems fair enough.

If the driver had caused an accident and caused serious injury or even a death...with no insurance who pays the costs to families....and 500 Baht is fair enough?

[dotpoom]

Seems fair enough.

If the driver had caused an accident and caused serious injury or even a death...with no insurance who pays the costs to families....and 500 Baht is fair enough?

[stevenl]

I don't see the problem here, presuming he paid 500 baht and got a receipt for 500 baht.

You want a receipt ? that will be 1,300 Baht then.

Bs, unless you can show us differently. And there is nothing in this story to indicate what you're claiming.

That's the normal way of doing it. '' It should be 400 Baht sir, he said, slipping his clip board through the window with his twitching hand underneath, but i can make it quick for you for 200 Baht, OK''

Maybe where you live, not here. Always mobile posts at the checkpoints, and in this case he had to pay at the police station.

[steelepulse]

Here's a couple local police and fine stories.

1) A member here told me the story of about a year ago he was fined and the ticket was left blank. He asked the issuing copper what is the fine and was told between 200-1000 baht. When he got to the station, again he was told the same and the member said, OK 200 baht. The cop said negative 1000 baht, so he ended up paying 500 baht.

2) Yesterday going through the circle in the morning, my daughter told me they were pulling over all tourists, and allowing all non helmet wearing, law breaking Thais to go through without being stopped.

[stevenl]

Seems fair enough.

If the driver had caused an accident and caused serious injury or even a death...with no insurance who pays the costs to families....and 500 Baht is fair enough?

The compulsory insurance is very limited in any case, and nearly nobody has additional insurance. So it is required and works fine for small accidents, but in serious accidents the compulsory insurance is of very limited use anyway.

[soalbundy]

Seems fair enough.

If the driver had caused an accident and caused serious injury or even a death...with no insurance who pays the costs to families....and 500 Baht is fair enough?

Motorbikes aren't insured anyway. A woman smashed into my car with a motorbike causing 85,000 Bahts worth of damage, she had hardly got up before she started shouting,''I'm poor, i haven't any money.'' She didn't have a driving licence either. The police wrote out a report and tried to get some money from her relatives,without success, after which they wrote out an agreement for her to sign that she would pay me 1,000 Baht a month, you guessed it, no money was paid.

[jagfx]

It is a dodgey system, no doubt about it. Recently I was pulled over at a checkpoint in HH on my bike. Traffic was going super slow and I was in the right lane.The Police Officer had to walk past two other bikes with locals riding them and no helmets to get to me and request I pull over. I'm use to it now and I am always legal, so no probs.

Then I speak to a couple of local Burmese barmen, both done for no licence and no helmet. Not only are they permitted to ride off, but their total fines each were 200 baht because they are poor. Gotta love it...

[klauskunkel]

“This applies to tourists and foreigners. Phuket police will not allow any exceptions, as everyone is the same under the law.”

We all know: there is "everyone", and then there is "everyone else"

[stevenl]

“This applies to tourists and foreigners. Phuket police will not allow any exceptions, as everyone is the same under the law.”

We all know: there is "everyone", and then there is "everyone else"

Please speak for yourself.

[klauskunkel]

“This applies to tourists and foreigners. Phuket police will not allow any exceptions, as everyone is the same under the law.”

We all know: there is "everyone", and then there is "everyone else"

Please speak for yourself.

Sorry.

"I" know...

(you don't)

[Classic Ray]

Logically, people wearing no helmet in an accident harm only themselves and their families, and to a certain extent, the government health services who care for the extra brain injuries. The load on health and social security services was the primary reason for the helmet law changing in Western countries.

By concentrating on foreigners, the BiB are simply avoiding bad publicity for the deaths affecting the tourist industry and targetting those most likely to pay up without a fuss.

[bangkapi]

Why do I never read anything good about Phuket?

[Srikcir]

Obviously, the Provincial Police Commander Patchara believes he has the authority to waive or reduce traffic fines. Whether that is real or imaginary is a different issue that probably needs judicial reform such as a traffic administrative court. The fact is he is trying to invoke uniform traffic enforcement where it doesn't exist and that is good!

But the use of blank fines on the ticket does not contribute to a violator's education or reponsibility towards traffic laws. It also exposes both offender and police to corruption. Better to use a standarized fine schedule to fill in the fine amount. Then at the police station the violator can appear before someone designated with judicial authority to plead for reduction or waiver of the fines. Thus, the process remains transparent, on record and consistent.

The ulitmate goal of fines is to change people's behavior. This won't happen when the enforcement process is arbitrary and capricious.

[jaywalker]

I don't see the problem here, presuming he paid 500 baht and got a receipt for 500 baht.

“This man was charged for not wearing a helmet, driving without a license and driving an unregistered vehicle. Also, his passenger was not wearing a helmet....."

And being unregistered, most likely had no insurance.

Nah, no plobrem.

They should have impounded his bike, ticketed the passenger separately, and hauled the driver to jail, booked him, given him a court date, and a 10,000 baht fine, along with a 5,000 baht fine to get his bike out of the impound lot, and then maybe, just MAYBE, he'd OBEY the traffic laws, or just walk when he needs to go somewhere.

---------------

I recall many years ago, my license got suspended for a year. I either caught a ride with a friend or walked or rode a bicycle, as the penalties in the US for driving on a suspended license are QUITE severe.

[springheeled jack]

I like the piece about everyone is the same under the law, I don't believe that for many years the farangs have always been the targets because of the supposition that they were wealthy and they could afford to pay and the thais couldn't .

[sead]

I have Never seen any car stopped at any checkpoint.

[wirat69]

Better still..... give him7 days to comply and then waive if all OK